Senior Diagnostics Specialist, Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (MNTD), REACH Malaria

The Organization for Innovation in Public Health (OIPH, PATH’s local affiliate in Nigeria) seeks a Senior Diagnostic Specialist for the Nigeria project team for the USG-funded Reaching every at-risk community and household with malaria services (PMI REACH Malaria) global project. REACH aims to provide implementation support services and technical assistance to countries to accelerate progress in comprehensive delivery of facility and community-based malaria services, including malaria case management, prevention of malaria in pregnancy (MiP), seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) as applicable, health systems strengthening, data collection and use for service delivery, and other malaria prevention interventions. The Senior Diagnostic Specialist (Malaria) will be supervised by and report to the Malaria Technical Manager.  

The Senior Diagnostic Specialist (Malaria) will be responsible for the design, implement, monitor, and evaluate initiatives to improve and increase access to quality parasite based diagnosis and anti-malaria drug efficacy studies, work primarily with all level of health facilities (Tertiary, secondary and primary) and communities to improve quality of parasite based diagnosis, work with the Nigerian Federal/ State Ministries of Health and LGAs, and will also work with other project staff to ensure proper design and implementation anti-malaria therapeutic efficacy study in selected study sites in Nigeria. 

Key Responsibilities:

Develop activity plans for malaria parasite-based diagnosis based on the annual work plan 

• Develop ToRs for implementation of parasitological diagnosis of malaria parasite across project supported state 

• Develop a concept note for the implementation of diagnosis quality assurance system (Microscopy and mRDTS) 

• Support the mapping of stakeholders for the development of framework for quality assurance. 

• Support the establishment of quality assurance system across project supported states. 

• Participate in program technical review activities. 

• Facilitate the design and implementation of suitable capacity building matrix for various cadres of Laboratory service personnel on quality malaria diagnosis skills. 

• Maintain a database of all participants trained by the project across all states for malaria diagnosis (BMMT, ECAMM, NCAMM & mRDTs) and support states to use training databases for data-informed planning and decision making at federal and state levels.  

• Support engagement with high-level stakeholders at the N/SPHCDA, F/SMOH, NMEP, MLSCN, ALGON/LGC/LGHA, and other relevant stakeholders including implementing partners and CSOs to strengthen collaboration and foster commitment for effective implementation of the project’s activities on parasite-based diagnosis. 

Serve as focal point for the implementation of parasitological based diagnosis of malaria. 

• Support the state malaria implementation officers in rolling out activities on malaria diagnosis (microscopy and or mRDTs). 

• Lead the planning and implementation of continuous capacity development efforts through quality supportive supervision of using OTSS for malaria laboratory services. 

• Facilitate and ensure selection of suitable short-term TA for malaria diagnosis and TES implementation. 

• Review field reports on malaria diagnosis activities and make appropriate recommendations 

• Technical support for roll-out of activities related to malaria diagnosis and TES at National and state levels 

• Collaborate with M&E unit to collate data from diagnostic activities at the state level. 

• Contribute to message development by BCC to create demand for quality diagnosis and case management   

• Support planning meeting, workshop for national consultants involved in diagnostic profiling in collaboration with M&E team. 

• Attend technical meetings and make reports to the project management. 

Support the development of tools, SOPs and training materials for malaria diagnosis 

• Support processes for development of tools for malaria diagnosis at NMEP 

• Participate in technical meetings and workshops hosted by NMEP and RBM partnership to improve malaria parasite diagnosis 

• Review and make inputs into technical documents developed to improve malaria diagnosis and case management 

• Participate in development and updating of training materials on malaria diagnosis 

• Support for RDT Implementation Research conducted by NMEP and RBM partnership 

• Design and pre-test tools for malaria diagnosis (Microscopy & mRDTS) quality assurance activities. 

• Facilitate training on parasite-based diagnosis at all levels of implementation and Serve as the project’s technical expert for capacity building initiatives on malaria diagnosis. 

• Ensure project’s capacity building initiatives for malaria diagnosis and TES are aligned with global best practices using standard training curriculum and efficient training methodologies. 

Facilitate and coordinate the implementation of annual anti malaria drug efficacy studies: 

• In collaboration with NMEP case management unit, support the development of annual TES study protocol and approval of ethical clearance with NEREC for the study. 

• Facilitate and support NMEP case management in development of TES study budget, workplan development and identification of study sites. 

• Support the development of specifications for commodities, equipment’s and Laboratory reagents for the study/ procurement. 

• Provide technical support for all components of TES study (HR, budget, site selections and assessment and field work implementation). 

• Provide guidance and leadership for engagement of various collaborative agencies for the conduct of molecular studies. 

• Support and facilitate perquisite training for various TES personnel and ensure proper conduct of field study monitoring visit. 

Qualifications and Experience:

• Excellent understanding of technical considerations guiding recommendations on policies and principle in malaria training /certification system for malaria microscopy. 

• Must possess a good knowledge of operation of Nigerian Laboratory service system, a highly skilled Medical Laboratory scientist will be a preferred option. 

• Demonstrable report writing skills 

• Must be proficient in essential computer packages such as Microsoft office packages. 

• Experience working on PMI and Ukaid funded malaria project for at least minimum of 10 years progressive status. 

• Good experience in supporting the training of malaria diagnosis over a measurable period. 

• Possesses a minimum qualification of AIMLS, FIMLS, and BMLS, postgraduate qualification is an added advantage.

• Demonstrable knowledge of strategic planning for laboratory services in Nigeria. 

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite. 

• Ability to multi-task and oversee a number of ongoing activities. 

• Excellent networking skills. 

• Familiarity with standard operating procedures in the laboratory services in Nigeria 

• Must demonstrate an expertise in microscopy and RDT skill. 

• Previous knowledge of the operationalization of a malaria diagnosis quality assurance system. 

• Strong skills in delivering on TES implementation.