Pediatrics/PMTCT/CECAP Officer 107 views0 applications

A major global health organization that has been improving public health in countries around the world for nearly two decades, ICAP works to transform the health of populations through innovation, science, and global collaboration. Based at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, ICAP has projects in more than 40 countries, working side-by-side with ministries of health and local governmental, non-governmental, academic, and community partners to confront some of the world’s greatest health challenges. Through evidence-informed programs, meaningful research, tailored technical assistance, effective training and education programs, and rigorous surveillance to measure and evaluate the impact of public health interventions, ICAP aims to realize a global vision of healthy people, empowered communities, and thriving societies.

ICAP is registered in Tanzania as MSPH Tanzania LLC (Reg. No. 00002080) since 2004. ICAP operates under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG). In Tanzania, ICAP receives funding from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through a partnership with CDC, supporting facility and community-based HIV prevention and care and treatment services, COVID-19 response, as well as HIV-related research in Tanzania.

With funding from PEPFAR through CDC, ICAP is currently implementing the “Sustain and Accelerate a Comprehensive HIV Response’’ project (known as the FIKIA+ Project) in all eight councils in Mwanza region aiming to achieve rapid acceleration of ART initiation, strengthen treatment continuity and improve HIV viral load (VL) suppression among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Furthermore, FIKIA+ also aims to ensure that high-quality combination prevention interventions, including voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC), DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe) programming, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and access to condoms to achieve epidemic control, are accessible to at-risk and vulnerable population groups. ICAP supports a total of 208 health facilities in Mwanza region, supporting lifesaving antiretroviral therapy (ART) services to approximately 118,000 people living with HIV. The FIKIA+ Project is currently in its second year of the five-year cooperative agreement.

ICAP in Tanzania is seeking to employ competent, dynamic individuals with strong technical knowledge and public health management skills in implementing program objectives to join our team. Positions are contingent upon availability of grant funding. ICAP at Columbia University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Position Title: Pediatrics/PMTCT/CECAP Officer
Reports to: District Program Lead
Job Location: Mwanza
Employment Type: Full-time
Travel: Up to 70% in intervention districts

Position Summary

The Pediatrics/PMTCT/CECAP Officer will coordinate the implementation of pediatric and adolescent HIV, PMTCT, and CECAP services in a district council. S/he will coordinate the Pediatrics, PMTCT, and CECAP portfolio to ensure efficient implementation, M&E, CQI implementation, and reporting of all interventions and indicators. In addition, s/he will work with the respective CHMT members in collaboration with other ICAP staff, facility providers, and expert clients to ensure that all activities are implemented per the GoT and PEPFAR standards.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Support the design, implementation, M&E, data use, CQI, reporting, and documentation of pediatric and adolescent HIV, PMTCT, and CECAP activities.
• Work with CHMTs and other ICAP staff to build capacity and mentor facility providers on the implementation of program priorities such as accelerating index testing for biological children, focused HIV testing for adolescents aged 15-19, provision of optimal ART regimen Page 5 of 12 for children, pediatrics and youth-friendly services, psychosocial support, EID, maternal retesting, viral load testing, mentor mother initiatives, and all other interventions as per the national and donor guidance.
• Work with district teams to implement innovative, data-driven, quality pediatric and adolescent HIV treatment, PMTCT, and CECAP services.
• Work as part of the multi-disciplinary technical team to provide site support to district teams in ensuring linkages between PMTCT, EID, TB/HIV, and pediatric and adolescent HIV services
• Provide TA to the CHMT members and support facilities in planning, implementation, M&E, and reporting of pediatric and adolescent HIV, PMTCT, and CECAP services.
• Collaborate with CHMT to assess and implement initiatives to address skill and resource needs in pediatric and adolescent HIV, PMTCT, and CECAP services through supportive supervision, mentorship, on-job training, and design remediation strategies using CQI methodologies.
• Ensure compliance with national and international standards and best practices for program implementation and that all programs are implemented per national guidelines and policy, protocols, SOPs, good clinical practice, and ethical/regulatory requirements.
• Provide oversight of pediatric and adolescent HIV clubs within the district council
• Participate in the data collection, analysis, and use at facility and district council levels and contribute to the development of monthly, quarterly, and annual reports
• Lead the documentation of program success stories and lessons learned in the relevant technical areas for internal and external release/publication.
• Lead HTS and HIV prevention-related supervision related to PMTCT & EID in the respective council in collaboration with the CHMTs
• Coordinate and facilitate monthly meetings for sharing challenges and strategies for the improvement of pediatric and adolescent HIV, PMTCT, and CECAP activities
• Support sites to understand targets, align their strategies and activities towards them and meet their set performance targets
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the supervisor

Qualifications, Knowledge, and Skills:

• Required Education: Medical degree (MD, MBBS, or equivalent)
  • Required Technical Experience: Minimum 3 years’ work experience in the HIV field with a donor-funded organization, including demonstrated experience and knowledge working on pediatric and adolescent HIV treatment, PMTCT, and CECAP programs. o Preferred: Experience working with PEPFAR-funded HIV programs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with fluency in English required.
• Strong computer skills (MS Excel, Access, Word, and PowerPoint at the minimum; preferred proficiency with statistical Software such as SAS and SPSS).
• Ability to provide high-quality technical assistance to districts and facilities.
• Ability to work with a diverse team.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and strong problem-solving skills.