Medical Referent, Owo – M/F – NIGERIA

ALIMA in NIGERIA

ALIMA has been present in Nigeria since 2016. Its actions are part of a regional response strategy to health and nutrition emergencies, with a focus on pediatric, maternal-infant and epidemic interventions. ALIMA is present in North-East Nigeria in Borno State (MMC and Jere LGAs) and in Yobe State (Bade and Karasuwa LGAs) where it provides outpatient and inpatient healthcare and nutrition services for IDPs and host communities. In North-West Nigeria, ALIMA is in Katsina State (Kaita LGA) to respond to increased nutritional needs. ALIMA is present in the South-West, in Ondo State (Owo LGA) where teams are treating patients for Lassa fever and conducting research into improved treatment.

Since the rapid increase in Lassa Fever cases in 2018, ALIMA has been supporting the NCDC and the State Ministry of Health in Owo (Ondo State) with case management, active case detection, patient triage, public awareness campaigns, and reinforcement of the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures. As of today, ALIMA is intervening in Federal Medical Centre of Owo (FMCO) to support the response to the outbreak by providing free laboratory and clinical care for suspected and confirmed cases of Lassa fever. In 2019-2020, ALIMA set up a Viral Haemorrhagic Fever laboratory in Owo to improve patients’ care by providing fast and high-quality diagnoses. ALIMA also supports ancillary healthcare structures to care for patients during outbreaks, takes on community outreach activities and has sensitised more than 6 500 people to Lassa fever.

One of the ALIMA’s strategic priorities is to promote research against viral hemorrhagic fevers in Africa. To save more lives, new and more effective Lassa fever treatment drugs are urgently required. In addition to prevention and case management, ALIMA is currently coordinating the INTEGRATE clinical trial platform to identify new therapeutic alternatives to treat Lassa fever and test their efficacy, tolerance and safety. A Phase II-III trial is currently being set up in the area. Three arms will be assessed and compared to the Standard of Care Drug (SCD). Its primary objective is to compare the efficacy of each Investigational Medical Product (IMP) to SCD to prevent death or organ failure in hospitalized patients with confirmed LF. INTEGRATE brings together social science researchers, operational experts and local partners with experience in Lassa fever awareness activities to work with local communities to fight misinformation on clinical trials and Lassa fever, destigmatize the disease, and prevent future outbreaks.

MISSION LOCATION AND  OBJECTIVES

The Medical Referent of the ALIMA Owo Project is the ALIMA representative and responsible for the implementation of research program/medical activities in Ondo and other LGAs if needed. He/She is the linkage between field team, researchers, coordination and community.

In close collaboration with the Project Coordinator, the Research team, Medical Coordinator, and Mission Coordination team, He/She will define and plan the project objectives and priorities, the risks and constraints, calculating human and financial needs. Cultivate the relationship with the FMCO/MOH stakeholders in order to implement efficiently and ensure the goals as well as to improve targeted population’s health conditions and humanitarian situation.

TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES

Ensure the implementation of all ALIMA medical and research activities follow relevant policies, protocols, ethics and national guidelines. 

Medical activities

Ensures quality of care, in accordance with Owo FMC and ALIMA procedures, national and international regulations.

Supervise full implementation of safety and health protocols, reporting to the Medical Coordination and Project Coordinator on risky behaviours, in order to ensure safe working conditions for the project staff. Implement the health policy for national staff; provides all prophylactic and preventive necessary measures, structures and emergency plans; manages any medical evacuation in order to ensure ALIMA staff health. 

Ensure a quality of data collection and epidemiological surveillance system, in agreement with the medical coordination. Participate in the planning, management of epidemics, disasters, in conjunction with the WHO, State DNO, MoH, Primary healthcare and other local leaders: LGA health sector meetings, technical meetings, partner coordination meetings, etc.

Disseminate key messages and guidance to medical staff.  Relay relevant information from the field (safety/security incidents, outbreaks, etc.) to the Project Coordinator and Medical Coordination. 

Participate with the collaboration of the PC, in different assessments in external states and drafting of the proposal. 

• Participate in the community lassa fever intervention.

• With support of the PC, steer and supervise the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project in collaboration with the project team and according to the internal and donor indicators in order to evaluate the level of achievement of the project objectives.

Clinical trial

• Contribute to the operation and running of INTEGRATE clinical Trial where appropriate by providing clinical advice on the relevance of research projects and attending research coordination meetings. 

• Ensures that the protocol, Good Clinical Practices and ethical aspects are respected by the entire team.

• Coordinate and supervise the work of the Clinical Research Team (Physicians and Nurses), ensure that their work is done in accordance with the protocol and procedures of the studies. Ensure the quality of the recruitment processes.

•  Ensure the quality and continuity of information exchange between the Research laboratory and the Lassa centre (ICRC): compliance with procedures, quality of communication between the two departments).

• Ensure effective collaboration with other departments of the hospital (emergency room, dialysis unit, paediatrics, gynaecology …). 

• Report to the coordination team any problems or difficulties encountered in the field and discuss ways to resolve them. 

• Participate actively in different program activities based on ALIMA’s charter, policies and image are respected with regards to national employees, populations, authorities and partners.

Pharmacy management 

• Manage the project pharmacy to ensure efficiency and validate medical orders to the central pharmacy for project activities. 

• Supervise all medical orders for program implementation at the project level with the support of the project team, and collaborate with the coordination team and project team for the international and national medical orders.

• Monitor consumption and liaise with medical coordination regarding needs in order to avoid stock-outs in the consumption unit. Also support the pharmacy supervisor on the supply on medical items.

• Provide inputs on the budget processes, work plan, procurement plan, and participate in the monitoring of the budget consumption to ensure operational effectiveness and efficiency.

• Expertise
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