The Diagnostic Network Advisor (NDA) will lead the diagnostics systems capacity building work for the USAID Infectious Diseases Detection and Surveillance (IDDS) project in Liberia. IDDS serves the Global Health Security Agenda, TB programs and other related initiatives. IDDS supports the Liberian government and relevant ministries in the strengthening of the Liberian human and animal health diagnostic systems for infectious diseases, TB and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The work will focus primarily on public health systems but may also include private health and other non-governmental diagnostic facilities (laboratories and point-of-care facilities). The position will be seconded to the National Diagnostics Unit (NDU) in Monrovia, Liberia but will include in-country travel to diagnostic facilities and for diagnostic capacity building activities and meetings. Technical responsibilities include working with the Senior Diagnostics Advisor, ICF (project prime), USAID and local IDDS Diagnostic Specialists to implement agreed strategies to enhance diagnostic networks (both human and animal health and point-of-care facilities) in Liberia as well as broader surveillance activities.
The key role of the NDA is to provide time technical assistance to the NDU to further build their technical capacity to serve as the leader of the diagnostics network in Liberia. This will be a full time secondment to the NDU in the first year of IDDS and longer as needed.
The NDA provides technical assistance to the NDU to enhance or develop comprehensive systems at the national level and later support the NDU in adapting these to the county and/or point-of-care level. Technical assistance will be provided in the following areas to:
- Establish or upgrade diagnostic testing systems and SOPs for the detection of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with reference to international expectations and requirements. This will include:
- Specimen acceptance and rejection criteria procedures
- Specimen preparation procedures
- Analytic procedures
- Quality control and quality assurance systems with feedback mechanisms
- Systems for recording and reporting of results (individually and collectively into national data systems and to NPHIL)
- Source documentation systems
- Archiving and repository systems for specimens and data
- Mechanisms for management review of diagnostic system performance
- Enhance equipment management systems including equipment (or diagnostic method) selection and qualification procedures, equipment use procedures, routine preventive maintenance, troubleshooting procedures, servicing and repair systems, and backup systems for equipment failure.
- Enhance diagnostic commodities management systems including selection and quality testing of commodities, inventory management, procurement and forecasting systems.
- Develop and roll-out a national Quality Management System for diagnostic facilities including building the capacity of NDU staff to mentor diagnostic facilities in QMS improvement activities.
- As part of this enhance document control systems including standardized format and content, version control and access and use.
- Enhance systems for checking the quality of diagnostic testing through use and timely review of internal quality control results, external quality assurance scheme results, proficiency testing program results and other sources of quality indicator data.
- Enhance NDU quality oversight systems including review of quality indicator data (e.g. test turnaround time, QC/EQA data, testing downtime and cause(s) etc.), management review and internal audits.
- Enhance human resource systems through the development or revision of standardized job descriptions for diagnostic staff and associated orientation programs.
- Establish systems for the training, competency, performance measurement, continuing education and qualification of diagnostic testing staff and management.
- Enhance workforce resourcing and scheduling by monitoring workload of functional areas with reference to testing volumes over peak and slack periods and proposing operational or staffing adjustments.
- Enhances laboratory information systems (LIS) by identifying information needs (user requirements) and problems, recommending improvements and setting activities, responsibilities and timelines and assist with the testing of new or refined systems (operational qualification).
- As part of this support the development of LIS use manuals and training of users.
- Enhances dialogue and the interface with healthcare, medical and veterinary staff through establishment of a clinical-diagnostic working group led by the NDU and through mechanisms to enhance diagnostic information included with physician, nursing and veterinarian curricula.
County Responsibilities
- IDDS will implement a suite of activities to build diagnostic capacity in Liberia. In addition to the NDA, IDDS will hire four full time Diagnostics Specialists (DS) to work at the county-level to support diagnostic enhancements. Counties to be supported in the first year may include Lofa, Margibi, Nimba, and Grand Bassa
- The NDA will supervise the DS’s and provide technical oversight to ensure that national strategies and systems developed with the NDU are translated into county-level diagnostic systems and solutions. County-level activities for DS’s which the NDA will oversee will include capacity building of diagnostic facilities and the network, quality improvement initiatives, strengthening of systems for supply chain and equipment management and strengthening capacity for detection of pathogens and AMR.
- In-depth functional knowledge of clinical diagnostics and diagnostic networks and quality management systems.
- In-depth functional knowledge of the diagnostics for infectious diseases (including TB) and anti-microbial resistance.
- Functional knowledge of the management of a diagnostic network and facilities.
- Knowledge of the mechanisms and strategies that are being deployed under the Global Health Security Agenda and other similar mechanisms to combat emerging infectious threats and anti-microbial resistance
- Good understanding of the external environment and how it affects diagnostic network functioning in general, including political, legal, environmental, financial and social influences.
- Strong capacity building skills.
- Ability to exchange information, present recommendations and collaborate with colleagues and peers within IDDS and externally.
Experience:
- At least five years of experience in diagnostics implementation (on-the-bench experience) and management in Liberia or similar developing country settings.
- Proven knowledge and experience in the diagnosis of infectious diseases (including TB) and anti-microbial resistance including specific hands-on clinical diagnostics experience.
- Competent in current developments in the diagnosis of infectious diseases including point-of-care and molecular methods.
- Experience with implementation of laboratory quality standards including against ISO 15189 and/or SLMTA/SLIPTA or in-country standards.
- A demonstrated ability to work with multiple partners on collaborative projects;
- Experience implementing diagnostic network capacity building.
Supervision Given/Received:
- Will supervise four county-level IDDS staff.
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