Tuberculosis Advisor (Islamabad Capital Territory)

SUSTAINING TECHNICAL AND ANALYTIC RESOURCES

FELLOWSHIP TITLE: Tuberculosis Advisor

HOST ORGANIZATION: National Tuberculosis Program Office, Ministry of Health, Pakistan

LOCATION: Islamabad, Pakistan

POSITION LEVEL: Mid-Career Technical Advisor

STAR-P3-128

TRAVEL: 25% estimated travel

STAR PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Sustaining Technical and Analytic Resources (STAR) is a project of the Public Health Institute (PHI) in partnership with the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). STAR is a Global Health talent hub. Through fellowships, internships, and strategic partnerships, STAR supports building the capacity of diverse global health professionals and organizations at all levels to make inclusive, collaborative, and innovative contributions to global health. STAR participants collaborate in the development of systems and tools that strengthen and sustain the local and global health response. https://www.ghstar.org/ Sign up with our listserv.

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP

The STAR Fellowship is a two-year global health and learning opportunity with:

• Individualized, tailored support to enhance the fellow’s achievement personal and professional goals
• Personalized learning plans and access to learning resources (courses, conferences, mentoring) based on fellow’s learning style and preferences.
• Access to broad professional networks to enhance peer learning and knowledge sharing.

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

Background:

USAID is a leader in the global fight against tuberculosis (TB) and supports anti-TB efforts in high burden TB countries. STAR Fellowship is a key component of the USAID Administrator’s TB Accelerator initiative that aims to reach the UN General Assembly TB Declaration targets as well as to build the capacity and commitment of the host governments to ensure TB self-reliance through evidence-based TB programs.

Introduction:

The Advisor shall provide state-of-the-art technical expertise to support the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) in implementing their National TB Strategic Plans in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) of Pakistan. In GB, there is a high number of childhood cases, and low notifications in ICT and AJK.

Reporting structure:

The Advisor will be based at the National Tuberculosis Program office in Islamabad. He/she will work closely with and receive technical supervision from the National Advisor MDR, who will serve as his/her Point of Contact. The Advisor will also work in close collaboration and maintain communication with the National Advisor MDR, TB POC USAID Mission in Pakistan and USAID/Washington TB Team Country backstop to whom he/she will provide regular updates on progress.

Essential Duties and Outcomes:

Improve coordination of NTP strategy across partners and stakeholders (40%):

• Provide Technical Assistance (TA) to monitor grant implementation and ensure alignment of technical approaches in Drug susceptible TB, Public-Private Mix (PPM), active case finding, TB-HIV, TB Preventive Therapy (TPT) and Community engagement in TB.
• Through collaboration with NTP and partners, identify programmatic gaps which may require additional TA.
• Support the implementation of TB Notification Act and its implementation modalities in ICT, Gilgit Baltistan, and AJK.
• Conduct field visits to review and analyze facility and district level TB data with recommendations on performance improvement, issue identification, diagnosis and treatment.

Increase the provision of appropriate technical support to NTP in the implementation of Global Fund TB grant (15%):

• Liaise with the National Manager on removing Global Fund implementation bottlenecks, monitoring progress of grant implementation, identifying technical assistance needs and monitoring technical challenges.
• Visit field sites to review, analyze global fund grant data and performance reports as well as identify issues and making recommendations.
• Ensure that activities are done according to the work plan.

Increase support to NTP in the scale up of MDR TB (30%):

• Build the capacity of Regional and District TB health providers in clinical management through mentorship and identification of technical assistance needs and regular supervisory visits.
• Provide support in the rollout of all oral shortened treatment regimen (STR) and new drugs (ND) for drug resistant TB.
• Advise and support the development of infection control strategies as well as strategies on improving sites and labs on the use of, rollout and maintenance of Xpert.
• Strengthen the reporting and management of severe adverse effects events (SAEs) from STR/ND through the active TB drug monitoring and management (aDSM) system.

Enhance Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) support to Regional programs (15%):

• Participate in planning and DR TB cohort reviews every 6 months on treatment.
• Evaluate quality of Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant TB (PMDT) programs throughout the country in ensuring they meet national indicators and conform to WHO recommendations.
• Participate in monitoring visits during implementation of GF TB grant and review and analyze technical reports submitted to GF and other partners.
• Monitor PPM initiatives in the tree regions
• Develop M&E frameworks for the TA projects and assist in the scale-up of DOTS services in the province.

Anticipated learning outcomes: approximate 10% time

• Apply TB and PMDT knowledge to strengthen program.
• Apply and distinguish international standards within technical/content area to support programming.
• Cultivate leadership skills based on the STAR GH mentorship curriculum to effectively facilitate capacity building and knowledge sharing activities amongst staff and peers.
• Expand access to knowledge and resources through networking and collaborative practice within global health.

FELLOWSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Required:

• Minimum 7 years of relevant technical experience with master’s degree or a minimum of 9 years of relevant technical experience with bachelor’s degree.

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience including designing, implementing and managing TB programs and Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant TB (PMDT).

• Demonstrated technical leadership, program management, strategic planning, policy experience and problem-solving skills working on complex projects in a highly sensitive environment are required.

• Ability to work effectively with a broad range of AJK, GB, ICT, USG personnel and partners, and have demonstrated skills in donor coordination and collaboration.

• Ability to work effectively both independently and in a team environment and communicate information to both health and non-health audiences, and achieve consensus on policy, project, research, and administrative matters.

• Excellent verbal communication skills, tact and diplomacy are required to establish and develop sustainable working relationships at the highest level and a high level of trust with public/private organizations.
• Excellent written communication skills are required to prepare regular and ad hoc reports, activity documentation and briefing papers.

• Proven ability to communicate clearly and concisely in English – both orally and in writing is essential.

• Pakistan citizenship is required.