Medical Doctor at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) - Holland

Médecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is an international, private, non-governmental, non-profit humanitarian organization. Our organization offers assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters, to victims of armed conflict, without discrimination irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation. We have been working in Nigeria since February 1996. A Memorandum of Understanding between Médecins Sans Frontieres and the Federal Government of Nigeria facilitates this. MSF-OCA employees are guided by a Code of Conduct, which aims to strengthen and support ethical cultures throughout MSF-OCA, based on the core values that guide our medical humanitarian mission.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Medical Doctor

Location: Talata Mafara, Zamfara
Employment Type: Contract

Description

• We are looking to fill the Medical Doctor (NERU) position in our Zamfara Secondary Health Care Project, Zamfara State.

Main Objective and Responsibility of the Position

• Provide outpatient and/or inpatient medical care to patients/beneficiaries according to adapted and updated medical knowledge, MSF protocols, values and universal hygiene standards to improve the patients/beneficiaries health conditions

General Accountabilities

• Apply medical knowledge and skills to diagnose and prevention. Carry out outpatient and inpatient consultations, prescribing the necessary treatment respecting MSF protocols.
• Keep the patient and/or his/her family informed about the illness and provide appropriate explanations about the treatment to follow, checking they have understood.
• Follow up the evolution of the hospitalized/IDP patients, through daily visits , consultations and examinations, prescribing the necessary treatment following MSF protocols, deciding whether they can be discharged or transferred to other departments – in collaboration with other doctors- and informing their family about the patient’s evolution.
• Check and control the rational distribution of medicines and equipment under his/her responsibility and take care the quality, disinfection and sterilization of the medical material. Assure general compliance with standing hygiene standards.
• Participate in the collection and analysis of epidemiological data, checking its validity and informing the line manager or project coordinator about any problem or complication of the patients’ illness, medical error and monitors the proper functioning of the department, equipment or material.
• Ensure ongoing training of the medical/paramedical multidisciplinary team in order to optimize the quality of care.
• Knows and ensures all MSF medical protocols are followed and implemented, checking universal precautions are followed at all times and reducing bio-hazard risks and improving infection control. Ensures professional confidentiality is respected.
• Manage the team under his/her direct responsibility according to MSF HR policies and procedures, supervising their performance, organizing and scheduling shifts and rotations, directly participating in emergencies and on calls if necessary.

MSF Section / Context-Specific Accountabilities

• The NERU doctor is flying, available to go and respond to the outbreak reported anywhere in the MSF-OCA mission in Nigeria. Outside of the emergency, he is flexible enough to be mobilized to support any MSF-OCA Project in need.

The responsibilities and qualities of the NERU doctor include the following:
General:

• Ability to conduct field investigations, check alert information and statistical data to understand trends in the number of suspected and/or confirmed cases.
• Able to analyse the environment/accessibility, the security situation in the area, the types of intervention carried out by stakeholders on the ground and their capacities, if any, in order to enable relevant intervention planning.
• Experienced in the management of outbreaks of common epidemics in MSF-OCA intervention areas, such as measles, cholera, meningitis, diphtheria, etc. in accordance with MSF protocols.
• Experienced in the management of common childhood diseases, such as malnutrition, malaria, respiratory tract infections, diarrhoea, etc. in accordance with MSF protocols.
• Assess the vaccination coverage rate for the current epidemic before the intervention to see if there is a need for catch-up vaccination.

Medical Care:

• Apply the principle of emergency triage, assessment and treatment of patients with danger signs first.
• Carry out inpatient consultations, prescribing the necessary treatment respecting MSF protocols and complies strictly with admission and discharge criteria.
• Ensure strict compliance with IPC measures by all staff when treating patients, in order to reduce the risk of exposure and avoid cross-infection.
• Responsible for person-centered care, the MD informs the patient about the disease and its cause, the treatment provided, the follow-up plan and preventive measures. Ensures absolute confidentiality of patients’ information.
• During regular project support, the NERU medical doctor performs the ward rounds on a daily basis to assess the conditions of the inpatients, adjusting treatments and deciding the discharge of patients

Teamwork:

• Working in close collaboration with the MoH or MSF teams in the areas of intervention or regular projects.
• In close collaboration with the nurse supervisor, work out the number of HR needed for the intervention, taking into account the staff/patient ratio and prepare the medical order (drugs, consumables and materials) needed to respond to an outbreak without a break in supply.
• Working with co-workers (MD, nurses, hygiene and HPO) according to MSF principles and project objectives, promote medical ethics, comply with the code of conduct and consider the person at the center of care.
• Demonstrate the flexibility to comply with the security rules and lines of communication applied by regular projects.

Reporting:

• Ensure that line list is correctly updated and shared with those concerned on a daily basis so that decisions can be taken immediately if necessary.
• Able to prepare daily, weekly, monthly and end-of-intervention medical reports with lessons learned and recommendations for future interventions.
• Able to organize mortality review meetings and establish an improvement plan.
• Immediately report to the MTL and/or the PC any incident (medical or security) that may occur in the health facility/intervention zone during the exercise of management of patients.

Requirements (Qualifications / Experience / Knowledge)
To apply for this role, applicants MUST meet the following criteria:
Education:

• Medical Doctor diploma / Desirable diploma in Tropical Medicine

Experience:

• 2 year of experience minimum as a Medical Doctor or in clinical work.
• Desirable in tropical medicine, or post-registration experience in Public Health
• Experience in emergency response is an asset

Languages:

• English is Mandatory and the local Nigeria language is essential.

Knowledge:

• Essential computer literacy (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)

Competencies:

• Clinical skills, people management, data analysis skills, communication skills, report, good listening, and able to work in a multi-cultural environment, collaborative results, quality orientation, teamwork and cooperation, behavioral Flexibility, Commitment to MSF Principles, Service and Orientation, and Stress Management

Application Closing Date
30th April, 2025 (5:00 PM).