Job Description

Position: Nodal Coordinator

Number of Positions: 20

Organization: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union)

Location: Himachal Pradesh – Solan (1) & Sirmaur (1) Jharkhand – Dhanbad (1) & Deoghar (1) West Bengal – Darjeeling (1) & N24 Parganas & Murshidabad (1) Chhattisgarh – Janjgir champa (1) & Rajnanadgaon (1) Madhya Pradesh – Jabalpur (1), Indore (1), Khandwa (1), Katni (1), Narsinghpur & Soeni (1), Burhanpur (1), Alirajpur (1) Maharashtra – Nagpur (1), Wardha (1), Gadchiroli (1), Gondiya (1), Chandrapur (1)

Contract Type: Consultant

Duration: 1 Year

Travel: 30% outside duty station

About The Union:

Founded in 1920, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), is a non-profit institute with five scientific departments and several offices worldwide, as well as a federation of close to 3,000 organisations and individuals, who are committed to the same goals. Its scientific departments focus on tuberculosis, HIV, lung health and non-communicable diseases, tobacco control and research; and each engages in research, provides technical assistance and offers training and other capacity-building activities, leading to health solutions for the poor.

The Union’s Mission:

The Union strives to end suffering due to tuberculosis and lung diseases, old and new, by advancing better prevention and care. We seek to achieve this by the generation, dissemination and implementation of knowledge into policy and practice.

We aim to ensure that no-one is left behind, people are treated equally and we have a focus on vulnerable and marginalised populations and communities.

The Union’s Vision:

A healthier world for all, free of tuberculosis and lung disease

The Union’s Values:

Accountability: We are responsible steward of resources and delivers on its commitments.

Respect : We recognise people’s intrinsic value and have due regard for the welfare, beliefs, perceptions, customs and cultural heritage of those we deal with.

Transparency : We are open and direct in our dealings.

Quality : We deliver our services and products to the highest possible standards

Independence: We seek to pursue our mission free from interference by conflict of interest.

For more information about The Union’s work in South-East Asia, please visit http://www.theunion.org/where-we-work/south-east-asia

About the Project:

The Axshya Plus Project is a Global Fund supported Grant for the period starting 01st April 2021 to 31st March 2024. This project is a new intervention in the field of TB prevention aligned with two of the four strategic pillars of India’s National Strategic Plan 2017-2025 to “Prevent TB” through contact tracing, management of Latent TB Infection (LTBI) and air borne infection control and “ Build TB” by carrying out research in different areas through technical assistance. Project Axshya Plus will majorly focus on Latent TB infection-diagnosis and treatment under programmatic conditions. Besides this, the Project will also work in close coordination with the National TB program to strengthen multisector engagement to make the country TB Free by 2025. The project activities will be implemented in 7 States (Assam, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal) and 100 districts with gradual scale up in year two and three of implementation.

A new area of intervention was introduced in the project to respond to COVID 19 pandemic wherein a door step delivery model for drugs and logistics is to be implemented in the project geographies.

The e-Pharmacy model will be a viable option to support drug supplies and adherence for TB patients. This model will overall improve the health-seeking behavior of TB patients during this pandemic time by partnering with pharmacies for diagnostics and drug disbursement at the doorstep level. Leveraging the robust IT infrastructure of pharmacies will also enable close refill monitoring thus ensuring better treatment adherence. This model ensures that patients’ access to medicines does not get impacted due to travel restrictions or lockdown imposed by the district administration to control COVID 19 or any other emergency.

This model will also help to improve diagnostic efficiencies, reduce turn-around time (TAT), and reduce treatment initiation delays. This entails establishing a model of sample collection and transportation to public and private facilities. It can cater to both Public as well as Private sector patients using a suitable supply chain approach. Going forward, this model appears promising, not just for reducing the global burden of TB, but for improving the quality of care across many diseases and conditions.

The Position:

Program Management & Execution

• Serve as the primary responsible person at the District level for the management and execution of all program-related activities under the C-19RM project.

• Lead the planning, coordination, and field implementation of various activities, including the 100 Days Campaign and other programmatic initiatives.

• Provide technical support to District and Block NTEP staff for the effective planning and field execution of outreach programs and other related activities.

• Assist in the identification and mapping of vulnerable populations and high-risk spots, ensuring that interventions are targeted effectively.

• Support the identification of targets for outreach workers and ensure smooth execution of field operations.

• Ensure the engagement of outreach workers in targeted interventions, providing them with the necessary resources and guidance.

• Coordination with District TB officer and act as a liaison among the NTEP staff at the District Tuberculosis Centre (DTC), SPMU and NTSU.

• Facilitate the coordination of activities, ensuring smooth operations and alignment with district-level TB control efforts.

• Mapping the area based on vulnerable populations, treatment units, drug management centers, and HWC

• Collect the weekly notifications of new cases from NTEP staff.

• Provide a monthly progress report to the district tuberculosis officer.

• Maintain the logbook on a monthly basis and submit it to the national tuberculosis surveillance unit.

• Encourage private physicians to register themselves on the Nikshay portal.

• Participate in Review & Planning Meetings

• Attend and actively participate in monthly review meetings of the NTEP, providing updates on achievements, challenges, and solutions for field issues.

• Support the planning process for project implementation in coordination with District NTEP staff, District officials, and the technical advisors, under the guidance of the Project Manager.

• Lead the preparation of weekly desk reviews and monthly reports, ensuring that all updates are shared regularly with the NTSU.

• Ensure the accuracy and timely submission of reports, and maintain the line listing of index TB patients, their households, and the services provided.

Field Visits & Monitoring

• Spend a minimum of 15-20 days per month in the field to monitor program activities and ensure quality implementation.

• Verify the accuracy of data by physically verifying at least 10 households per week and 10% of all data on a monthly basis. Provide feedback to the respective platforms to enhance program effectiveness.

• Weekly desk check review of data for all services

Engagement with Laboratories & Doctors

• Streamline engagement of private health facilities and enrolling them in Ni-kshay.

• Conduct regular visits to empanelled laboratories and private doctors in the district, and support the engagement of new doctors and laboratories into the Nikshay platform in consultation with the District TB Officer.

• Cross verify the monthly reimbursement claims received from private health facilities and submit the validated data to NPMU on monthly basis

Coordination with Outreach Workers & Teleconsultation

• Ensure bi-weekly sharing of the list of index patients (microbiologically-confirmed pulmonary TB patients) with tele-callers and outreach workers, improving coordination between these groups, NTEP staff, and other stakeholders.

• Facilitate teleconsultations between patients and doctors, ensuring that teleconsultations are conducted promptly and as required.

Timely Drug Availability & Distribution

• Ensure the timely availability and distribution of drugs to outreach workers for transportation to families without delay.

• Monitor the distribution process and troubleshoot any issues to prevent delays in service delivery.

• Monitoring the availability of TB drugs in the DMC and TU

Documentation & Coordination with SPMU/NPMU

• Provide all necessary information related to the project to the State Program Management Unit (SPMU) and National Program Management Unit (NPMU) as and when required.

• Upload the final notification register to the portal and coordinate the teleconsultation process between tele-callers and families.

Quality Assurance & Field Implementation

• Ensure the quality of field implementation by monitoring activities, verifying data, and providing continuous feedback to improve the process.

• Collaborate with the team to ensure that the field activities adhere to the program's quality standards.

Other Duties

• Undertake any other responsibilities or tasks assigned by the Program Manager or the Technical Advisors as needed for the successful execution of the C-19RM Project.

Qualification & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in any discipline.

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience, post qualification.

Desirable:

• Must be a self-driven individual with a strong sense of initiative.

• Work effectively within a team environment throughout the development life cycle.

• Good interpersonal skills including problem solving ability

• Good verbal and written communication skills.

Competencies & Skills:

• Proficient Computer knowledge and experience of working in Microsoft Office or any other data entry tool

• Basic knowledge of data analysis using MS EXCEL

• Basic English speaking/writing skills

• Willingness to travel within the State and country as required.

Compensation offered:

Offer shall be commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the selected candidate.

How to apply:

Interested candidates must send their latest resume/CV and cover letter mentioning their motivation for the job and the specific skills and experience that makes them suitable for the job. Last date for submitting applications is 03 December 2024 and required to be sent to careers.usea@theunion.org indicating “Application for Nodal Coordinator” in the subject line. You must also submit the Job Application Form (to be filled online at https://goo.gl/forms/hchmlnx4QzdbJBRx1) before the deadline. Please note that applications submitted without the Job Application Form will not be accepted.

The Union is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified women candidates are encouraged to apply.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

About Company

All Jobs posted by: Doctors Without Borders India (DWBI)/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)