Overview:
The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI – formerly the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative) under the leadership of former President William Jefferson Clinton III, has worked since 2002 to reduce the pricing of HIV/AIDS medicines and tests, and to work with governments around the world to further turn the tide on the disease by building the systems needed to deliver care and treatment.
In 2006, CHAI signed an MOU with the Malawi government to strengthen health systems in the most challenged districts, provide national support to HIV/AIDS drug pricing and programmatic work, support the pilot and scale-up of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) initiatives, expand access to Anti-Retroviral therapy for children, strengthen Malawi’s lab system, and scale up an integrated nutrition program for children. CHAI’s support to Malawi has expanded to include Human Resources for Health, Vaccines, and Health Financing.
For more information, visit http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org.
Position Overview:
In 2012 Malawi adopted viral load testing as the only supported method for monitoring viral suppression among patients enrolled in ART. To facilitate this decision, in late 2013, the Ministry of Health adopted dried blood spot (DBS) as the standard method for collecting viral load samples, making it possible to decentralize testing to district hospitals and health centers. However, currently less than 10% of patients on ART have received a routine viral load test.
During the scale-up of viral load testing CHAI has supported the Ministry of Health with laboratory resources and technical assistance. As CHAI Malawi seeks to intensify its support to the Ministry of Health’s efforts to provide routine viral load testing to more than 450,000 ART clients the office is looking for an Associate to lead a diverse set of activities designed to increase access to viral load testing and linkage to second-line treatment for people living with HIV in Malawi.
Additionally, CHAI is supporting the Government of Malawi to evaluate the feasibility of implementation of a screening program for cryptococcal meningitis antigen with a rapid test that has recently become available on the market. Cryptococcal meningitis is one of the main opportunistic infections that affects people living with HIV and AIDS and is also one of the most deadly. By identifying people who have the virus in its dormant phase and putting them on prophylaxis, mortality from meningitis can be eliminated. A new diagnostic that greatly simplifies identification of asymptomatic CM is also now available. The 12-month project aims to answer key questions about how such a screening program would work within the constraints of the Malawian health care system, including understanding which clinical algorithm would be most effective in identifying cases, which level(s) of the health system is most appropriate for conducting screening, and which health care workers can conduct the test most effectively. The study will also look at the feasibility of the test for diagnosis of acute cryptococcal meningitis. CHAI will also be exploring ways to expand access to improved medications for prophylaxis and treatment of the disease, working closely with the Ministry of Health.
The position will require close coordination with high-level ministry employees, laboratory managers and technicians, and development partners. Improving service delivery throughout the continuum of care will require keen analytic ability, robust problem solving, and superb interpersonal skills.
In 2006, CHAI signed an MOU with the Malawi government to strengthen health systems in the most challenged districts, provide national support to HIV/AIDS drug pricing and programmatic work, support the pilot and scale-up of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) initiatives, expand access to Anti-Retroviral therapy for children, strengthen Malawi’s lab system, and scale up an integrated nutrition program for children. CHAI’s support to Malawi has expanded to include Human Resources for Health, Vaccines, and Health Financing.
For more information, visit http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org.
Position Overview:
In 2012 Malawi adopted viral load testing as the only supported method for monitoring viral suppression among patients enrolled in ART. To facilitate this decision, in late 2013, the Ministry of Health adopted dried blood spot (DBS) as the standard method for collecting viral load samples, making it possible to decentralize testing to district hospitals and health centers. However, currently less than 10% of patients on ART have received a routine viral load test.
During the scale-up of viral load testing CHAI has supported the Ministry of Health with laboratory resources and technical assistance. As CHAI Malawi seeks to intensify its support to the Ministry of Health’s efforts to provide routine viral load testing to more than 450,000 ART clients the office is looking for an Associate to lead a diverse set of activities designed to increase access to viral load testing and linkage to second-line treatment for people living with HIV in Malawi.
Additionally, CHAI is supporting the Government of Malawi to evaluate the feasibility of implementation of a screening program for cryptococcal meningitis antigen with a rapid test that has recently become available on the market. Cryptococcal meningitis is one of the main opportunistic infections that affects people living with HIV and AIDS and is also one of the most deadly. By identifying people who have the virus in its dormant phase and putting them on prophylaxis, mortality from meningitis can be eliminated. A new diagnostic that greatly simplifies identification of asymptomatic CM is also now available. The 12-month project aims to answer key questions about how such a screening program would work within the constraints of the Malawian health care system, including understanding which clinical algorithm would be most effective in identifying cases, which level(s) of the health system is most appropriate for conducting screening, and which health care workers can conduct the test most effectively. The study will also look at the feasibility of the test for diagnosis of acute cryptococcal meningitis. CHAI will also be exploring ways to expand access to improved medications for prophylaxis and treatment of the disease, working closely with the Ministry of Health.
The position will require close coordination with high-level ministry employees, laboratory managers and technicians, and development partners. Improving service delivery throughout the continuum of care will require keen analytic ability, robust problem solving, and superb interpersonal skills.
Responsibilities:
The Associate will report to the HIV Senior Program Manager. Specific responsibilities will include:
Viral Load
Cryptococcal Meningitis
Cross-Cutting Activities
Viral Load
- Generate robust models for forecasting demand for viral load testing services and support the ministry’s orders and applications for viral load commodities procured with donor assistance;
- Provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health for strengthening and monitoring the supply chain for reagents, laboratory consumables, and sample collection materials;
- Routinely visit laboratories to conduct stock assessment activities, including detailed analysis of commodity use and wastage;
- Compile national viral load testing data and present results to the Ministry of Health, development partners, and donors;
- Organize trainings for district-level ART mentors in viral load sample collection, result interpretation, and linkage-to-care;
- Oversee visits to health facilities by mentors to ensure that mentoring activities affect transformative change, including monitoring visits, liaising with mentors, and driving accountability at the district health offices;
- Conduct various analyses of bottlenecks and challenges with testing uptake and linkage to adherence counseling and second line treatment, recommend solutions to the Ministry of Health and support implementation of these solutions;
- Document the viral load scale-up process to provide a robust record for policy makers and to inform CHAI efforts in neighboring countries;
Cryptococcal Meningitis
- Plan and conduct training of health facility workers on testing algorithms, testing techniques (in collaboration with MoH clinical staff), and on the research protocol;
- Provide regular technical support to health facility staff;
- Visit health facilities on a regular basis to collect study data and ensure that the pilot is being run properly and troubleshoot any identified problems and bottlenecks;
- Lead project monitoring and evaluation and assessment of project baseline status and ultimate impact;
- Provide strong recommendations to the MoH on how to scale up cryptococcal meningitis programming following the completion of the operational research study;
Cross-Cutting Activities
- Attend policy meetings and prepare presentations for the ministry and partners;
- Advise the Ministry of Health impartially on policy and technological issues relating to viral load testing, linkage to treatment and diagnostics in general;
- Liaise with CHAI’s global diagnostics team on programmatic, policy and financing issues;
- Liaise with other CHAI Malawi teams to ensure that Malawi programming integrates into CHAI’s broader work on scaling up patients on ART and reducing mortality;
- Work tirelessly to improve the public health system in Malawi increasing access for all patients and ensuring long-term sustainability;
- Support resource mobilization efforts for viral load and cryptococcal meningitis for Malawi and for CHAI;
- Other duties as requested by the management team.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree plus 2-3 years of work experience
- Fluency in English; excellent written and oral communications skills
- Strong quantitative capacity, problem solving skills and analytical capabilities
- Detail-oriented with strong organization skills
- Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, set priorities, and work independently and flexibly with a strong commitment to excellence
- Ability to be effective in high-pressure situations and work in a fast-paced environment with limited-structural support
- Ability to maintain strong relationships with a variety people and organizations, including but not limited to high-level Ministry of Health officials, district health officers, laboratory professionals, partner programmatic staff, and fellow CHAI employees
- High level of proficiency in relevant computer applications including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Advantages:
- Familiarity with issues specific to laboratories and diagnostics
- Familiarity with the Malawi health system
- Experience working in the healthcare industry
- Experience in managing a research study
Options :
