MEDICAL COORDINATOR

Aide Médicale Internationale (AMI)

Closing date: 30 Nov 2010
Location: Thailand - Mae-Sot

MEDICAL COORDINATOR
MAESOT - THAILAND

Aide Médicale Internationale is a French international medical NGO. It was created in 1979. A.M.I. manages medical programs in Afghanistan, Thailand, Myanmar, Yemen, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, and Haiti. More information on www.amifrance.org

A.M.I. PROGRAM IN THAILAND:

For the past half century, the military junta in Burma has continuously denied basic human rights to minorities living in the peripheral states of Burma. This has lead to a dramatic humanitarian crisis: limited access to minimum health services and education, livelihood opportunities; and active oppressive measures, such as forced displacement and labor, land confiscation, etc. Since 1984, the flow of refugees (up to 160,000 Karen, Karenni, Mon, Shan and other minorities in 2010 ) has fed the 9 camps along the Thailand/Burma border.
As Thailand did not sign the 1951 Refugee Convention, refugees have no official status in the country. Their confinement in the camps has lead to a specific situation where basic services and amenities need to be provided on a continuous basis by the international community (NGOs) together with Community-Based Organizations (CBOs).
Of the three common durable solutions for refugees (repatriation, resettlement, integration), only resettlement is feasible in this context. Despite the resettlement of about 67,000 refugees in host countries, the population of the camps has not decreased. The continuous state-wide political oppression and poverty , associated to the opportunities linked to the resettlement and the availability of services in the camps (including health and education), are considered to be push/pull factors, triggering population mobility across the border in Thailand border province and in and out of the camp.
In this context, the emergency has become a protracted crisis that still needs coordinated efforts to help the refugees cope with their basic needs, such as nutrition and health.
A.M.I. has provided health care services and training for medical staff since 1995 in refugees’ camps.

AMI PROGRAMS IN THAILAND:

A.M.I. is working in 3 camps of the Tak Province (Maela, Nupoe and Umpiem) with about 80,000 direct beneficiaries (camp residents) and 10,000 indirect beneficiaries (migrants or Thai communities using camp health services) per year.
The Nupoe camp was created in 1995. A.M.I. has supported curative health care there since 1997: consultations, hospitalizations, referrals to the Thai hospital; the focus is done on supporting our staff to become autonomous and on reinforcing their skills through training.
A.M.I has taken over activities in the Umpiem camp from MSF-France and has been in charge of the curative health care since 2001 (same activities as in Nupoe).
In the Maela camp, after MSF-France as well, A.M.I. took over the responsibility of the curative and preventive health care in July 2005. This camp, created in 1984, is the oldest and biggest camp along the border. The activities there include: consultations, hospitalizations, referrals to the Thai hospital, MCH consultations (immunization, nutrition follow-up, growth monitoring, post natal consultations…), and supplementary feeding program.
A.M.I. has an office in Mae Sot (near Maela camp), an office in Umphang (near Umpiem and Nupo camps) and a liaison office in Bangkok.

Composition of the team
Expatriates: 1 Country Director, 1 Administrative Coordinator, 1 Logistics Coordinator, 1 Medical Coordinator and 1 Program Coordinator for the three camps.
National staff: 70 base staff and 450 camp staff.

Financial resources

ECHO – Jan to Dec 10 - Medical activities (except HIV and TB) implemented in the 3 camps
EUROPEAID – July 07 to July 10 (no cost extension currently discussed, up to Dec 10) Health Workforce Capacity Building and HIV/AIDS program.
UNHCR – Jan to Dec 10: VCT, mental health/psychosocial care and alcohol/substance abuse.
PRM: Sept to Dec 2010: Curative and Preventive health care in Nupoe and Umpiem camp.
MSF: July to Dec 10: TB program in Maela.
IOM: Jun to Dec 10 (renewable): epidemiology monthly reporting.
CDC – in-kind medicines, medical material and rehabilitation.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Medical Coordinator is responsible of the supervision of the medical department : ensuring quality of the medical activities in the 3 camps according to field constraints and donor requirements as well as respecting beneficiaries, A.M.I. overall principles and the strategy defined by the coordination team together with the Head of Mission.

Specific objectives for 2011:

* Strengthen assessment, monitoring, and analysis of the health context evolution and ensure that the program are consistent with it
* Supervise and strengthen the capacity of the medical department to provide technical support for the implementation of the program
* Provide technical assistance and guidance to update and standardize medical procedures and protocols in the 3 camps
* Ensure that quality primary healthcare services are implemented and managed, in collaboration with all stakeholders
* Analyze and develop strategies for cost control of referrals to Thai hospitals
* Provide technical assistance to improve safe prescribing procedures and rational use of drugs
* Coordinate efforts with all stakeholders in and outside the camps, including strengthening relationship with Thai authorities and actively participating in the CCSDPT health sub-committee.

WORKING RELATIONS:

The Medical Coordinator is under the supervision of the Head of Mission. They decide together what the priorities are and which actions to undertake. The Medical Coordinator informs her/him about his activities, results obtained and difficulties encountered and asks for validation of important decisions.

She/he works in close collaboration with the Head of Mission and the project manager to define the strategy of the program.
She/he works in close collaboration with the medical referents of the projects and supervises the whole medical activities.
She/he works in partnership with the local and national medical authorities and medical coordinators of other NGOs and agencies.

DUTIES AND TASKS:

1. Provide technical support to the medical program in the 3 camps:

• Update, adapt and harmonize tools and procedures in collaboration with the Medical Department and the Medical Officers
• Update and adapt medical protocols
• Follow-up of the referral cost protocols and procedures
• Follow-up and analyze pharmacy consumption

2. Monitoring, evaluation and strategic planning of A.M.I. medical activities :

• Follow-up local, regional and national medical context
• Assess need, monitor and analyze A.M.I. and camp health services
• Support the development of planning and monitoring tools, in collaboration with the Program Coordinator
• Initiate and participate in internal and external evaluations
• Promote collaboration with research and academic institutions, in particular within Thailand
• Contribute to the definition of the strategy with the coordination team, in relation to needs and context

3. Reporting

• Compile an internal analytical report on medical activities every quarter
• Produce situation reports as defined by the Head of Mission
• Provide specific reports based on the priorities and needs identified
• Produce and diffuse hand-over and end of mission report
• Share meeting minutes

4. Human resource management

• Monitor and evaluate performance of the staff under direct supervision
• Provide supervision, regular feedback and guidance
• Provide capacity-building and career development opportunities when possible
• Ensure A.M.I. procedures and local procedures are respected within the medical department

5. Coordination

Internal:
• Coordinate the medical department’s activities in the camps as well as with other departments
• Participate in internal medical meetings as requested
• Organize and facilitate the medical monthly meeting

External:
• Represent A.M.I. with external partners, such as Thai authorities, NGOs, communities and other partners in the camp of Maela; attendance to regular meetings.
• Contribute to the writing of partnership contracts and follow-up of their implementation
• Participate in the CCSDPT health sub-committee meeting to strengthen collaboration between all health agencies and with Thai health authorities and to contribute to border wide health sector strategy
• Facilitate the establishment of working groups under the CCSDPT health sub-committee

Donors:
• Participate in the research, analysis and response to funding opportunities
• Follow-up donor contracts and implementation of the activities
• Contribute to the elaboration of project proposals and other donor reports
• Financial follow-up and forecast of referrals to Thai hospital
• Participate in donors meeting, when necessary

6. Duty

• Participate to duty shifts on week-ends with other coordinators
• Be flexible in working schedule
• Agree to complete tasks others than mentioned in this job description if instructed by the Head of Mission and according to A.M.I. activities.

LIVING CONDITIONS

The Medical Coordinator will be based in Maesot with regular trips to Bangkok, Umphang base and occasionally to the camps (Maela: 45mn, Umpiem: 1h30, Nupoe: 3h).
- Culture: The city of Maesot offers all modern amenities: telephone, Internet, restaurants, supermarkets, ATM, even if it is a small provincial town. The relationship with the Thai local population and the other expatriated people is good.
- Security: Low risk.
- Geography: the city of Maesot is spread along the Burmese border North-West from Bangkok (about 7 hours bus ride).
- Climate: the rainy season is from June to October. Temperatures vary from 25°C to 38°C but nights can be cold. During the rainy season, the humidity rate is high.
- Living Conditions: Collective housing with electricity and warm water 24h/day. Possibility of separate housing upon certain conditions.

CONDITIONS AND REQUIRED PROFILE:

• Status: (salary: 1525 € + food & housing + medical insurance + return ticket to country of residence every 6 months + visa)
• Deadline for application: 30/11/2010
• Starting date : January
• Duration : 1 year minimum
• Couple/family posting : possible
• Degree : medical doctor, with a specialization in public health
• Experience :
- Humanitarian experience, ideally as medical coordinator or project manager
- Experience in managing and coordinating outbreak response
• Competencies and skills :
- Good skills in the management and mentoring of a multicultural team, with capacity-building competencies
- Very good abilities to treat information, set priorities, be multi-tasking and organized (deadlines to respect)
- Able to respect policies, procedures and other requirements
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
- Patience, diplomacy, flexibility and autonomy
- Critical thinking and analytical skills
- 100% computer literate

• Language :
- Fluency in English compulsory (written/oral); Thai/ Burmese/ Karen an asset
How to apply
Please note that you may only apply for a position in a specific country if you are not a national of that country.

Please send a CV and cover letter (and specify the position you are applying to in the subject of your email) to:

Caroline Paoli,
Recruitment Officer
caroline.paoli@amifrance.org