Posted on: Wed 17-11-2021

Achieving Health Nigeria Initiative (AHNi) is a non-profit organization that promotes socio-economic development by supporting global health and economic initiatives in Nigeria. AHNi currently has its headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant - Pharmacist

Location: OSS Jalingo, Taraba

Employment Type: Contract

Project: Global Fund

Required services: Consultancy to Provide Key Population Services

Duration: 27 Days with Possibility of extension

Commencement Date: 25th Nov, 2021

Proposed Dates: Between 25th Nov - 31st Dec, 2021 (excluding Public Holidays)

Supervisor: STO - KP / CBO

Background

• Achieving Health Nigeria Initiative (AHNi) is a sub-recipient to FHI 360 on the “National Aligned HIV/AIDS Initiative (NAHI) project. Under this arrangement, AHNi has a mandate to support the provision of both facility-based and community-based comprehensive HIV services to the key population (KP) community in Taraba state.
• This support includes the provision of integrated community-based one stop shop clinics (OSS) and key population friendly health services (KPFHS) through faith-based, private, and public health facilities.
• The OSS clinic model is a type of community-based differentiated ART service delivery model for KP.
• The KPFHF is aimed at sustainability and ownership of KP care through provision of ART services to KP in a conventional healthcare setting.
• The OSS will have full continuum of staff (Front Desk Officer, clinical officer, Pharmacist, Triage Nurse, Laboratory Scientist, Psychologist and Adherence counselor, Data entry clerk, case managers, janitor, and security personnel).
• The OSS will be a Safe haven to members of the key populations community as it will provide non-biased, non-stigmatizing and nonjudgmental friendly services to the designated populations.  
• The OSS will be opened to members of the KP community for all 5 working days of the week from 8:00am to 5:00pm on daily basis.
• However, there will be context specific service provision utilizing extended hours of service provision to address the need of clients who may not be disposed to visit the OSS during working hours or working days as arrangements can be made to visit at weekends based on discussions with the service providers at the facility.

Objectives

The specific objectives of the KP intervention include:

• To create a supportive environment for key populations and foster community empowerment by providing a venue for relaxation, recreation, peer support, income generation and other activities to address underlying social factors such as SGBV and social marginalization.
• To provide health education and promote safer behaviors (including safer sex and safe injection) to reduce the risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV and STIs.
• To provide an integrated package of HIV/STI/RH services tailored to the needs of the KP clients through ‘friendly’ service providers who are sensitized and trained to serve KP.
• To serve as a distribution point for condoms, lubricants and needles/syringes and other key commodities to reduce HIV transmission.
• To build the capacity of KP CBOs to implement comprehensive HIV prevention and health promotion interventions.

Basic Function

The main responsibility will be to provide pharmaceutical care services and support medication adherence counseling services at One-Stop-Shop (OSS) for Key Populations (KPs) and their partners.

Specific Deliverables are:

Area 1: Delivery of pharmaceutical services in support of quality Antiretroviral Therapy (ART):

• Dispense Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and other medication in line with approved regimens and standards.
• Dispensing ARVs in appropriate packaging with clear instructions
• Providing medication-related counseling, including reinforcing adherence and advising on potential side effects and drug interactions
• Providing drug information to health service providers and clients on request
• Identifying and supporting follow-up of clients who do not return for refills of their ARVs.
• Working with providers and clients to identify, manage, and report adverse drug reactions and drug interactions.
• Contributing to decision making on treatment and care for individual clients
• Ensure Good Pharmaceutical Practice (GPP) and standards
• Calculate drug storage needs for ART start-up and expansion.
• Monitor ARV and other drug (STIs, OIs, etc.) stock levels at the OSS and communicate with the project team for re-stocking.
• Contribute to forecasting /quantification of health commodities and monitoring of drug distributions.
• Oversee drug logistics i.e., stock-taking, proper drug storage, drug stock out and monitor the effectiveness of the pull system.

Area 2: Internal and External Quality Control Systems:

• Assess the functionality of existing pharmaceutical management systems and develop implementation plans that prioritize and address gaps.
• Oversee quality assurance systems at the OSS by close monitoring of prescription patterns, ensuring proper documentation, side effects monitoring (pharmacovigilance) and reducing dispensing errors.
• Identify needs for information resources - for example, ART guidelines and drug information for medication counselling.

Area 3: Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Implement monitoring and reporting of medication errors, suspected adverse reactions to medicines, and other medication-related events.
• Monitoring ART prescriptions for appropriateness and discrepancies
• Monitoring adherence to ARVs; working with clients and other health service providers to address difficulties.
• Address emerging problems as client numbers increase.
• Contribute to the development of data collection tools for KPs (HTS, ART and Prevention for Positives)
• Monitor and report weekly enrolment.
• Provide support to the Strategic Information (SI) unit to conduct research (qualitative and quantitative) surveys on service delivery outcomes for HIV prevention, care and treatment.
• Ensure timely submission of quality reports to the PR/SR on monthly and quarterly basis or as required.
• Maintenance of transaction records and inventory management tools as required to ensuring transparency in commodity management records.
• Ensure timely, accurate and timely reporting of logistics reports to facilitate stock replenishment and accountability.

Area 4: Other assignments:

• Proactively seek out and report relevant opportunities, success stories, linkages or challenges that may promote clinical services for the project.
• Carry out any assignment as may be decided by the PR/SR.

Qualifications

Minimum Recruitment Standard:

• B.Pharm or Pharm. D with at least 2 years minimum Pharmaceutical experience and working with Key Populations
• A registered member of the pharmaceutical council of Nigeria will be a huge advantage with valid council registration
• Experience working with Civil Society Organizations
• Excellent ability to communicate and maintain diplomatic and productive relations with the team; resourcefulness, flexibility, and ability to work in a fast changing and challenging environment
• Familiarity with Nigeria Public Sector Health Systems, NGOs and CBOs will be highly desirable.

Application Closing Date

Saturday, 20th November, 2021.

Method of Application

Interested and qualified candidates should send their Resume and Applications to: [email protected] using the Job Title as the subject of the mail.

Note: Members of key populations are strongly advised to apply.

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