Background
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural and man-made disasters and exclusion from healthcare in more than 70 countries. MSF offers assistance to people in need and irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.
MSF has worked in India since 1999, providing free-of-charge essential healthcare to people in remote areas; treatment and care for people affected by HIV/AIDS, malnutrition; hepatitis C, tuberculosis, kala azar, and sexual and gender-based violence; an important subject for our action is containing the effect of antibiotic resistance. MSF also responds to natural disasters and other emergencies, provides mental healthcare, and advocates for the development of more effective and affordable medicines to improve access to treatment everywhere.
We currently run projects in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Manipur, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.
MSF was awarded the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development in 1996 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.
MSF OCBA in Bihar
MSF has been working in Bihar treating kala azar since 2007 with a gradual transition of the project to focus on HIV-kala azar co-infected patients. After treating more than 13,000 patients in Vaishali, MSF began focusing on the treatment of kala azar-HIV co-infection in partnership with the Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS) in Patna in 2016.
Further, MSF has collaboration with All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna and Bihar State AIDS Control Society (BSACS) with whom MSF is conducting two qualitative studies focusing on the perception of the quality of life by VL-HIV co-infected patients and the stigma which PLHIV group faces at health facilities and in community. Anecdotal evidence from different sources suggests that there is a very high level of stigma attached to HIV in Bihar. Data collected from health structures show that PLHIV often seeks for health services with advanced HIV bearing multiple opportunistic infections and complications. To make the matter worse, these patients do not get adequate and prompt healthcare, this leaves them with no option but succumb to their illness at home. Hence, MSF strives to implement a project for treating life-threatening diseases in people living with HIV in Bihar in collaboration with BSACS and Government of Bihar (GoB).
This seamless partnership for over more than a decade with the Government of India, the State Government and other stakeholders has enabled MSF to provide the best quality of care, free of cost treatment to the people of Bihar without any discrimination on the basis of caste, colour, religion or economic status. The major beneficiaries of MSF services have been the most vulnerable and the most in need.
Working in HIV-VL co-infection has led us to realise the systematised discrimination against HIV patients by the community and even by health care providers with them often being excluded from healthcare outside of government ART centres. Bihar, with a population of 110 million people is one of the largest states and least economically developed. It has an estimated adult HIV prevalence in the range of 0.21– 0.25% accounting for 150,000 PLHIV and 7,514 deaths (5,794-10,575) annually. By March 2018, 46047 PLHIV were on ART in Bihar, the number representing under 50% of all diagnosed PLHIV in the state, this is far from the global goal of having on ART the 90% of all diagnosed as HIV infected.
As per July 2017 WHO guidelines for those above 5 years of age, Advanced HIV disease is defined as presenting for care with a CD4 count below 200 cells/mm3 or presenting with an AIDS-defining event, regardless of the CD4 cell count. All children less than 5 years are considered to have Advanced HIV Disease.
The mortality rate of advanced HIV disease is estimated to be between 30 to 40%. In Bihar, within MSF´s existing HIV related project we have a number of observed cases bearing severe disease where specialised medical care is required including palliative and end of life care for some among them including psychosocial support for patients and family members. In such situations, where we have tried to refer the patients into the public or private sector, they have been refused admission, ignored, and ultimately sent home to die.
MSF Response
In this situation, MSF in collaboration with MoH (BSACS and NACO) has planned to set up a program as inpatient centre in a district hospital to provide care and treatment for patients in advanced HIV disease with special attention for those with life-threatening conditions. Patients in critical lethal conditions will be able to access to palliative care.
The main purpose of the program is to provide care for seriously ill patients living with HIV in order to decrease mortality and improve the quality of life, paying special attention to patient´s rights and dignity and providing holistic care including medical and psychological support.
Referral criteria to MSF care centre
- HIV patients with CD4 less than 200 plus a threatening condition other than the ones WHO clinical staging
- Suspected or diagnosed advanced HIV disease regardless of CD4 count
- Danger signs (seriously ill patients) in PLHIV, independently of previous CD4 and or WHO clinical status
- Other HIV related life threatening conditions such as IRIS, suspected clinical failure, and drug hypersensitivity.
Project Location: Guru Gobind Singh Hospital, Patna
Purpose of Post
Provide support to the Project Coordinator in the administrative part of coordination tasks, ensuring a smooth relation with local and national authorities, contributing to the context analysis and follow-up, providing translations and interpreting in order to ensure the smooth running of the project.
Main Responsibilities and Tasks
Accountabilities
- Monitor and report on key issues (security, risk, etc.) to the Project Coordinator and provide support in analysing contextual information, through a sound knowledge of counterparts, in different administrations in order to improve decision making processes.
- File and update field contacts and correspondence (with other NGOs, UN agencies, local authorities, media, etc) in order to ensure information sources accuracy and its availability on regular basis.
- Assist the Project Coordinator in the drafting of correspondences with authorities and counterparts (government officials, UN agencies, NGOs, etc.) in order to ensure fluent and accurate communication flows
- Assist the Project Coordinator in Internal and External Communication sessions and events about MSF (for National staff, the Ministry of Health staff, as well as local authorities) in order to improve awareness and public opinion adhesion.
- Ensures the continuity of relations with local actors and keeps updated the list of contacts.
- Organise advocacy contacts and appointments for the Project Coordinator with local authorities and partners to ensure the continuity of relations with local actors and involved counterparts.
- Execute clerk-related activities as well as prepare and conduct briefings on the project context to new employees in order to facilitate their integration on board and within the project environment.
- Translate documents and act as an interpreter when needed.
Representation & Communication
- In conjunction with Field Coordinator, establish and maintain good relations with MoH and Administrative officials/employees at district and state level
- Arrange and facilitate meetings, briefings and discussions with external counterparts in order to achieve letter of authorisation, agreements etc.
- To organise and update contact lists, details and records of external counterparts essential for the smooth running of the project
- To assist Field Coordinator, or independently when needed organise specific events, such as open-days, information stalls etc.
- Maintain the project photo/video database ensuring that informed consent is taken when relevant
- To assist management within the project for the proper implementation of project activities to reach project objectives.
Context Analysis related to Security
- Supports FieldCo to carry out a permanent analysis on the political and humanitarian situation in the project area.
- Follow and update mission internal users with health, context, security, natural disasters, and other relevant information diffused by the local media on a daily basis.
- Gather security information and report back to project coordination on a daily basis and formally on a monthly basis (incident maps, incident reports)
- Assist in the process of understanding local dynamics, culture, ethnics, etc .
Human Resource
- Organise with Field Coordinator the monthly staff MSF Awareness events
- Briefs new staff about local context, culture, ethnics, etc, with the support of the Deputy Field Coordinator.
- Ensures the diffusion of information on the association, the MSF movement in collaboration with the collaboration of Fieldco.
Reporting
- Compile and disseminate minutes of external/internal meetings
- Make sure minutes of other meetings are properly prepared and disseminated by the responsible persons (National Staff meeting, etc)
- Preparation of the daily news review on a daily basis.
- Support Sitrep reporting and be responsible for LogBook
- To be responsible for regular and monthly reporting such as Assistant FC report, MIM and MIR
- Participate in the report writing aspect of the project and to ensure the timely delivery of letters, documents and reports to the appropriate people
- To keep confidentiality regarding any information received during hisher work.
Requirements
Qualifications
- Essential: Bachelors / University degree in public health, social science, humanitarian studies, political science or social related areas
- Desirable: Master degree in public health, social science, humanitarian studies, political science or social related areas.
Work Experience
- Essential: Two years previous experience in similar jobs in the field of humanitarian aid with MSF or other NGOs
- Desirable: Five years of previous experience in similar jobs in the field of humanitarian aid with MSF or other NGOs.
Previous experience working in public health.
Specific Skills
- Mission working language and local language(s) essential
- Essential computer literacy (word, excel).
- Knowledge of the public health system in India.
- Context analysis
HR & Benefits
- Salary: Rupees 33,334 gross/month
- Benefit of 13th Month Salary
- PF and Gratuity are applicable as per law.
- Total Leaves: 18 days annual leave; 12 days paid leave as per specified list of holidays; Sick/Casual leave of 12 days as per calendar year (pro-rated based on hire date).
- Wide Medical coverage (Employee + Direct Relatives), as per organisation policy.
Application Procedure
To apply please email your
CV and motivational letter mentioning why you would be interested to apply for the position with the subject
Ref: Project Coordinator Assistant to
msfe-delhi-recruitment@barcelona.msf.org AND
msfe-patna-hr@barcelona.msf.org on or before
24th June 2019.
Applications that are no completed (CV + Covering letter) will not be considered for further stages.
ONLY SHORT-LISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED AND INVITED FOR INTERVIEW.
Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders India is an equal opportunity employer. Women candidates are encouraged to apply.
