Pediatrician at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) - French

Médecins Sans Frontières is a private, not-for-profit international humanitarian organization dedicated to providing medical assistance to populations in distress, without discrimination and regardless of race, religion, creed or political affiliation.

MSF has been active in Katsina since February 2021 after carrying an exploratory mission that end up with an opening of the project. Currently, MSF is running an ITFC (Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centre) in Katsina in the Kofar Sauri PHCC and 4 ATFC (Ambulatory Therapeutic Feeding Centre) including three in Jibia LGA (Magama, Daddara, Riko,) and one in Katsina City (Kofar Marusa).

The French Section of Médecins Sans Frontières is currently recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Pediatrician

Location: Katsina
Contract Type: Fixed Term
Contract: 208 working hours per month

Main Purpose

• Providing outpatient and/or inpatient paediatric care to patients/beneficiaries according to adapted and updated medical knowledge, MSF protocols, values and universal hygiene standards to improve the new-born and child/beneficiaries’ health conditions.

Job Description

• Applying medical knowledge and skills to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of children, ensuring integrated new-born and paediatric care through Emergency, OPD, and IPD services in New-borns and cases of malnutrition. Prescribing the necessary treatment, respecting MSF protocols.
• Collaborating closely with the different department of the hospital (e.g. Maternity), Knowing and ensuring all updated MSF medical protocols and universal precautions are followed and implemented, reducing bio-hazard risks and improving infection control.
• As an expert in paediatrics, proposing strategy (modification on current new-born and paediatric care management) and implementing them after validation of Operation and Paediatric Advisor.
• Ensuring on-going new-born and paediatric training (formal and bedside) of the medical/paramedical multidisciplinary team in order to optimize the new-born and paediatric quality of care. Reviewing and discussing selected complicated cases or mistakes and giving technical input.
• Keeping patients and their families informed of the illness and the treatment to follow, checking that they have been understood. Ensuring professional autonomy and confidentiality are respected and a good attitude and proper bedside manner towards the patient and their care takers and the rest of the medical team.
• Following 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.
• Monitoring the proper functioning of the department, equipment or material and addresses the list of the missing item for new-born and paediatric activities. Providing inputs about general organization of the different paediatric wards, including the admission, transfer and discharge criteria + referral procedure from Maternity and post-delivery wards
• Checking and controlling the rational distribution of medicines and equipment under his/her responsibility and taking care the quality, disinfection and sterilization of the medical material. Assuring general compliance with standing hygiene standards.
• Participating in the introduction / improvement of the collection and analysis of epidemiological new-born and paediatric data, checking its validity and informing the line manager or project coordinator about any problems or complications of the patient’s illness and medical errors. Collecting Clinical cases for further trainings and list a series of comments to improve the current MSF protocols
• Managing 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.
• Designing and providing training to staff as required.
• Debriefing with coordination, headquarter (including Paediatric Advisor) and providing written     report on main findings, activities, conclusions and further recommendations.
• Clinical management of children admitted to ITFC according to MSF medical protocols and standards by conducting daily ward rounds in the ICU, ICU-step down and other wards alone or with medical doctors and reviewing critical and complex cases in other units when needed. This includes rational use utilization of investigations and therapeutic interventions including prescription of drugs.
• Participation with the medical doctors in the management of critically ill children in Triage/ER.
• Ensures that ITFC admission and discharge criteria are maintained according to the updated MSF medical protocols.
• Provide guidance to the team on cases that need a referral to the non-MSF facility for a higher level of care and approval, with MAM or MTL support, the transfers.
• Be part of the technical team (MDs in the ward, Head Nurse, MAM, MTL) in the multidisciplinary management of complicated cases that need team decisions.
• Ensure proper and complete documentation of medical information in the relevant patients’ records with respect to patients’ confidentiality.
• Ensure regular updating cases on telemedicine and given feedback to the team.
• Provide technical support for the medical/paramedical teams to ensure a good understanding of the medical protocols and treatment guidelines to assure a good quality of patient care in pediatric ITFC/IPD.
• Work on building the capacity of the staff, especially medical doctors, through regular training through bedside, hands-on teaching, and didactic training. This includes malaria peak training.
• Support and collaborate with the MAM in charge of the activity to develop the relevant SOPs and ensure that the staffs follow the available SOPs.
• Facilitate the quality improvement process concerning patient management; regularly inform the line manager or MTL about any problems or complications of the patients’ illness, or medical error and monitor the proper follow-up and resolution and, in collaborating with the MAM, strengthen regular weekly mortality reports, mortality reviews, and case discussions.  This includes participation in malaria peak training.
• Participate in the elaboration of monthly/quarterly reporting.
• Be part of activities of hospital management for the definition of activities, strategies, and activities necessary for project objectives and adaptation to changes in the context. Also, participate in general project meetings when needed.
• Together with MAM and MTL, contributes to the review and analysis of project data trends and indicators and proposes strategies to adapt support according to the needs of the patients when needed.
• Participate in meetings including weekly medical team meetings, and other meetings as required or requested by the MAM/MTL or PC.
• Participate in scaling down of activities during the exit from malnutrition peak seas.

Requirements

• Education: Consultant Pediatrician with a Medical Degree from a recognized university
• Experience: Minimum of 3 years experience as a pediatrician in a hospital
• Languages: Hausa/ Fulani language essential /Mission language desirable
• Knowledge: Essential computer literacy (word, excel and internet).

Competencies:

• People Management and Development L2
• Commitment to MSF principles L2
• Behavioural Flexibility L3
• Results and Quality Orientation L3
• Teamwork and Cooperation L3.

Remuneration
According to MSF salary scale plus 13th month allowance equivalent to 1 month of gross salary.

Application Closing Date
21st February 2025; 4:00 PM.