MdM / MEDICAL COORDINATOR (M/F) - Laos

For more than 30 years, Médecins du Monde, a campaigning medical organisation committed to international solidarity, has been caring for the most vulnerable populations at home and abroad. It has continued to highlight obstacles that exist in accessing health care and has secured sustainable improvements in health-for-all policies. Those working for this independent organisation do not solely dispense care and treatment but condemn violations of human dignity and rights and fight to improve matters for populations living in precarious situations.

MdM currently works in 46 countries across all continents where it focuses on 4 priority areas: caring for the health of migrants and displaced persons, promoting sexual and reproductive health, combating HIV and reducing the harm and risks associated with drug use, crises and conflicts.

The Lao PDR is a landlocked country that remains one of the poorest in East Asia. The country is ranked amongst the bottom quarter of countries (133/182) on the Human Development Index (UNDP 2009) and approximately 30% of the population continues to live bellow the poverty line with considerable differences between urban and rural areas and between ethnics groups.

With 9% of public expenditure (as % of total government expenditures) spent for health (data 2011), the health situation remains extremely poor in Lao PDR. Although the country has progressed significantly in the past two decades, its maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 357 per 100,000 live births (UNFPA 2011) remains one of the highest in South East Asia.

The crude birth rate is 27 per 1000 inhabitants, the newborn mortality is 22 per 1,000 live births and the fertility rate is 3,5 children per women (UNFPA 2011).

According to the Lao Reproductive Health Survey 2005 almost 85% of all childbirths took place at home and only about 20% were assisted by trained health personnel. It is estimated that 35% of pregnant women have at least one antenatal consultation.

MdM's programm has been opened in 2010 and focused on reproductive health during a first phase which ended in September 2012.
A second one (October 2012- December 2015) is focusing on mother, newborn and children under 5 health with a geographic extension to 2 hospitals type A (with surgery) and a PMTCT focus in the 2 initial districts of intervention.

MdM objective is to improve within 3 years quality and access to preventive and curative health care for children under 5, pregnant women and those of reproductive age of Moonlapamok and Sukhuma districts, ensuring an effective continuum of care from communities to referral districts hospitals (Khong and Champasak).
Action will work towards achieving the following results:

1. Reproductive and MNCH services are improved in terms of quality and consolidated at all levels to reinforce the continuum of care 
2. Knowledge and attitudes of the villagers are improved regarding healthy and health seeking behaviours on reproductive, mother and child health 
3. Financial barriers to access mother and child health services are removed 

The program is running under both responsibility and partnership of MDM-France and MDM-Japan.

TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

As Medical coordinator you supervise the implementation of the project and ensure the quality of the medical activities.
You work under the direct responsibility of the General Coordinator.

More specifically you:

1 - Participate in program planning

• Work with the General Coordinator in developing the overall strategy of the program 
• Develop and regularly update operational plans for the implementation of planned activities 
• Participate in program budget preparation 
• Organize the planning of the different trainings for the local staff and the community health workers' trainings, the follow-up, on-site supervision and coaching, jointly with the expatriate medical team and sometimes national consultant (nurse, midwife, OBGYN or paediatrician doctors). 
• Provide the team with organizations tools 

2 - Advise on public health issues

• Set up a sustainable free delivery and under 5 scheme and advocate at central and local level 
• Follow-up the development of health policies and guidelines at international and national levels 

3 - Technical support to medical teams and quality control

• Support and operationally manage the medical team 
• Ensure the overall coherence of medical activities 
• Ensure the exchange of medical and technical information within the team 
• Provide technical support to medical team 
• Supervise and follow up the accurate and ethical medical content throughout program’s planning and medical activities implementation 

4 - Project activities

• Collect, follow-up and analyze data on the health situation and indicators of Lao and in the region of intervention: morbidity, mortality, outbreaks, vaccination coverage 
• Follow-up technical indicators for program monitoring and reporting 
• Support Champasack College of Health Sciences for community midwife training 
• Follow-up and supervise the students of community midwife training in collaboration with the trainers of Champassack College of Health Sciences 
• Support Paksé provincial hospital and district hospitals type A in implementing PMTCT and EmONC trainings 
• Follow-up with the General coordinator the vouchers scheme for free delivery and free health care for children under 5 
• Agree and follow-up the supply of medical equipment in collaboration with the logistician. 
• Organize with the General coordinator the sanitary evacuation if needed 

5 - Representation and coordination In collaboration with the General Coordinator 

• Ensure the interaction with other health stakeholders (UN, JICA and NGOs) both at local and national levels 
• Assist to MDM representation at interagency coordination mechanisms, especially technical medical meetings 
• Ensure the coordination of MDM activities with provincial and districts health office. 

6 - Monitoring and reporting

• Ensure the monitoring of program indicators, ensure in collaboration with medical team data collection and analysis according to planned indicators 
• Work with the General Coordinator in the analysis of program outputs 
• Participate in the preparation of the report for MdM, the Lao Government and the donors

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Starting ideally mid-September 2014 
• Duration: 12 months (ideally to be renewed until end of December 2015) 
• Contract : EMPLOYEE (French contract) 
• Short term contract 

Position based in Pakse, regular visits in Moonlapamok and Sukhuma districs

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE NEEDED:

• Initial training of 4 years as midwife (national diploma) or doctor with obstetric and/or paediatric experience 
• At least 2 years of professional experience 
• Two years relevant working experience in an NGO 
• Experience in team management 
• Ability to provide leadership 
• Good listener 
• Communication and negotiation skills 
• Patience and understanding 
• Computer skills 
• Interest, curiosity and respect for different cultural backgrounds, ability to consider intercultural approach 
• Familiar if possible with Asian country 
• Ability and flexibility to cope with cultural and political environment 
• You will be committed to MdM’s values as an organisation and be motivated by its non-statutory, Not-For-Profit model 
• Languages: Fluent English (oral and written) mandatory 

MdM stands up for the integration of people living with disabilities and fights against discrimination.

To apply this position, please send a resume and a cover letter via this link.

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