Epidemiologist/Data Manager – South Sudan 299 views3 applications

South Sudan Guinea Worm Eradication Program (SSGWEP)

Epidemiologist/Data Manager

The incumbent will provide technical support to SSGWEP related to data collection, editing, processing, reporting, and analysis. In this regard the incumbent will assist the SSGWEP, specifically the Data team, The Secretariat, and Technical Advisors/Program Officers. The purpose of this position is to increase internal analytical capacity of the SSGWEP, ensure the integrity of the data and of analyses, and to increase the capacity of the program’s Data Management Team.

The incumbent will work under the general direction of The Director of the SSGWEP, and will be directly supervised by the Carter Center’s Country Representative (CR). All changes to current SSGWEP data analyses must be made in consultation with The Secretariat with approval from The SSGWEP Director. The Epidemiologist/Data Manager is a supervisory position to the Data Team and should provide direct support and training for the Data Team. As such, the incumbent will provide technical support to the management of the data team.

Human Resource Management & Supervision

1.Supervise and monitor the SSGWEP data management systems by providing direct, day-to-day monitoring, management, and oversight of the same.

2.Serve as direct supervisor for all SSGWEP data staff.3.Directly supervise the SSGWEP data team to ensure fulfilment of their terms of reference including the following:

a) All field reports are received by the 15th of the following month; any missing reports must be communicated to the appropriate sub-office and the CR by the 16th of that month.

b) All field reports are scrutinized and all errors are corrected prior to entry into the appropriate database. All errors requiring clarification from a sub-office must be communicated to that sub-office and CR by the 25th of that month.

c) Using the appropriate computer software (e.g. Microsoft Excel), entry of all data is made in a timely manner and accurately reflects report hard copies.

4.Directly supervise the data team to ensure the following:

a) As part of the monthly provisional SSGWEP analysis, he/she accurately analyzes reporting rates separately for village under active surveillance, year-to-date demographics analysis. Analyses must be completed by the 20th of the following month.

b) He/she tracks the status of all case containment centers (CCCs) by month, including the number of patients/suspects admitted, the number of patients contained at each CCC, the number of cases for the catchment area, the proportion of admitted cases/suspects that were contained at the CCC.

c) He/she keeps accurate record of GPS points for all villages under active surveillance (VAS), all sub-office, sub-stores, and for all case containment centers operated by the SSGWEP.

d) Generates maps of the location of VAS, including endemic villages, and verifies the accuracy of the geographic coordinates by checking for outliers. Takes action to have the accuracy of these coordinates verified.

e) He/she conducts monthly analysis of all SSGWEP case-work up forms to ensure:

i) every case/suspect has a case work-up form;

ii) each form indicates a village of case origin and that village’s code is indicated in the patient database; and

iii) in cases where case(s) are imported from a different programme area from where they were detected, the officer in-charge is notified immediately. Any work-up form which does not indicate a village of origin must be communicated to the CR and the relevant TA/PO immediately.

f) Work with Data Team to combine all current patient/suspect data into one database as well as all combining all baseline information into one data base.

g) Work with the Data Team to code all data to more effectively analyze data.

h) Work with the Data Team to make necessary adjustments to improve the quality of data entry and consistency of data entered

j) With the Data Team to develop a set of standard maps that each sub-office should have to help pinpoint transmission and manage the program. Develop these maps for each sub-office and update on a quarterly basis.

Data Management and Oversight, SSGWEP

5.By the 5th of the following month, obtain and compile for the Director-SSGWEP the number of new cases/suspects and contained cases/suspects by payam.

6.Ensure all SSGWEP field reports are received by the data team by the 15th of the following month. Report any late reports to the CR immediately.

7.Along with the Data Team, conduct monthly spot-checks, prior to conducting the monthly analysis, of all paper reports to ensure entered data correctly reflects paper reports. Spot checks will include but are not limited to the following:

a) In the patient data database, check 100% of the month’s cases/suspects to ensure consistency between containment criteria dates and fields indicating the meeting of said dates to containment criteria.

b) Confirm village line listing data to ensure consistency between line listings and monthly summary forms.

c) Ensure consistency of all analyses.

d) Conduct a hand-count of all monthly summary forms and village line listings to ensure the accuracy in the number of new cases/suspects and cases contained reported in the monthly provisional analysis.

e) Confirm that all hard copy files are arranged properly and all field inputs and requests are filed appropriately.

8.By the 20th of the following month, generate a comprehensive report for the preceding month, and present it the Director, SSGWEP. The data should include; analysis on the status of all interventions, patient demographic analysis, status of villages under active surveillance, analysis of new cases/suspects by payam, and village grouping by type and location.

9.By the 25th of the following month, provide sub-offices with SSGWEP monthly analyses and personalized feedback on any data problems evidenced in their reports. Sub-offices must receive the following on a monthly basis:

a) Monthly SSGWEP provisional analysis;

b) Updated SSGWEP baseline;

c) Updated SSGWEP patient/suspect data;

d) Updated reporting timeliness/completeness scorecard.

10.By the 25th of each month, provide the CR and the Director-SSGWEP an updated, accurate soft copy of all SSGWEP raw patient/suspect and village-level data and all villages removed from the baseline.11.Conduct a monthly case containment center analyses, the analyses will include the following:

a) Total new cases/suspects for the catchment area

b) Total new cases contained catchment area

c) Catchment area containment rate

d) Number of new cases/suspects admitted to the CCC

e) Percent of total new cases for catchment area admitted to the CCC

f) Number of new cases admitted and contained at the CCC

g) Percent of new cases admitted that were contained and not-contained at the CCC

h) Number and percent of admitted new cases that left the CCC prematurely.

i) Average number and range of worms removed

j) Average number and range of days cases spent at the CCC

k) Demographic data of patients admitted to the CCC and their containment rate.

12.Maintain an accurate, up-to-date electronic list of all SSGWEP VAS removed from the active surveillance baseline and reason they were removed.

13.Maintain and share (on a bi-annual basis) with the Director-SSGWEP an updated list (including all baseline data) of all villages transitioned to passive surveillance since 2008. The list must be included in the SSGWEP annual report.

14.Evaluate current analysis. Determine if it is appropriate and make recommendations for adjustments.

15.Determine what additional data analysis is needed to fully understand transmission dynamics.

General Data Support

16.Plan monthly data team visits to sub-offices to ensure data issues are resolved quickly and field reporting meets programme regulations.

17.Generate maps for the Director-SSGWEP, CR and sub-offices as requested to analyze location of known endemic villages, village reporting 1+ cases/suspects, villages reporting only imported cases/suspects, location of villages by administrative designation, villages reporting 5+ cases and any other map as requested by the sub-office, CR or Director-SSGWEP.

18.Assist the Director-SSGWEP as requested.

19.Track and liaise with relevant sub-offices to resolve all outstanding data discrepancies. For any data issuing requiring changes to already-entered data, approval must be sought by the Epidemiologist prior to any changes being made.

20.Spend two weeks out of every month visiting sub-offices to:

a) Review data collection and screening procedures in the field

b) Improve training of Technical Advisors and Program Officers on data collection

c) With the Data Team, Secretariat, Technical Advisors, and Program Officers work to improve training of field officers on data collection techniques

d) Determine what is needed to develop improved case investigations to pinpoint where transmission is occurring including support during field visits, training, and any necessary adjustments to forms

e) Based on analysis and field visits, make recommendations as to additional areas of epidemiological investigation and analysis, conduct as needed

f) Participate in investigations of outbreaks at the field level to determine the origin of transmission.

g) Work with Technical Advisors and Program Officers to improve their epidemiologic investigation skills

h) Help the Technical Advisors and Program Officers conduct analysis on locations of origin of imported cases/suspects and known locations of indigenous transmission to determine where transmission is occurring

21.Liaise directly with TCC – Atlanta to address all requests for data analyses.

22.Make all necessary data changes to existing programmatic data while ensuring the appropriate Director approves ALL data changes prior to changes being made.

23.Make regular, actionable recommendations to the CR and Director-SSGWEP for improvements to SSGWEP data management systems and tools.

24.Design and execute practical, hands-on training of field staff on established reporting procedures and guidelines as dictated by the Ministry of Health.

25.Ensure all new field supervisors receive a thorough orientation regarding programmatic data procedures and guidelines.

26.Assist the CR to formulate accurate annual program analyses as requested by the Director-SSGWEP for use in review meetings.

Other Duties

27.Work cooperatively and harmoniously with government officials and TCC colleagues to strengthen TCC-supported programs in every way possible.

28.Ensure a safe, respectful, efficient, and effective data team work environment while building a sense of team by giving all staff the opportunity to grow professionally.

29.Work daily with awareness that the Carter Center works solely in support of the South Sudan Guinea Worm Eradication Programme and the Trachoma Control Programme of the Ministry of Health, Republic of South Sudan

30.Represent The Carter Center with pride, integrity, professionalism, humility, respect for persons, and sensitivity to local culture and traditions. Be constantly aware that you represent an organization founded by a former President of the United States who believes in working aggressively and harmoniously to assist and strengthen health service delivery.

31.Other duties as required and/or assigned by the CR.