Médecins Sans Frontières is a private, non-profit international humanitarian organization dedicated to providing medical assistance to populations in crisis, without discrimination and regardless of race, religion, gender, creed, or political affiliation.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Paediatrician
Location: Kano
Employment Type: Full-time
Job Summary
- Applying medical knowledge and skills to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of children, ensuring integrated new-born and pediatric care through Emergency, OPD, and IPD services in New-borns and cases of malnutrition. Prescribing the necessary treatment, respecting MSF protocols.
- Collaborating closely with the different departments of the hospital (e.g. Maternity), Knowing and ensuring all updated MSF medical protocols and universal precautions are followed and implemented, reducing bio-hazard risks and improving infection control.
- As an expert in paediatrics, proposing strategy (modification on current new-born and paediatric care management) and implementing them after validation of Operation and Paediatric Advisor.
- Ensuring on-going new-born and paediatric training (formal and bedside) of the medical/paramedical multidisciplinary team in order to optimize the new-born and paediatric quality of care. Reviewing and discussing selected complicated cases or mistakes and giving technical input.
- Keeping patients and their families informed of the illness and the treatment to follow, checking that they have been understood. Ensuring professional autonomy and confidentiality are respected and a good attitude and proper bedside manner towards the patient and their care takers and the rest of the medical team.
- Following up the evolution of the hospitalized/IDP patients through daily visits, consultations and examinations, prescribing the necessary treatment following MSF protocols, deciding whether they can be discharged or transferred to other departments – in collaboration with other doctors- and informing their family about the patient’s evolution.
- Monitoring the proper functioning of the department, equipment or material and addresses the list of the missing items for new-born and paediatric activities. Providing inputs about general organization of the different pediatric wards, including the admission, transfer and discharge criteria + referral procedure from Maternity and post-delivery wards
- Checking and controlling the rational distribution of medicines and equipment under his/her responsibility and taking care of the quality, disinfection and sterilization of the medical material. Assuring general compliance with standing hygiene standards.
- Participating in the introduction / improvement of the collection and analysis of epidemiological new-born and paediatric data, checking its validity and informing the line manager or project coordinator about any problems or complications of the patient’s illness and medical errors. Collecting Clinical cases for further training and list a series of comments to improve the current MSF protocols
- Managing the team under his/her direct responsibility according to MSF HR policies and procedures, supervising their performance, organizing and scheduling shifts and rotations, directly participating in emergencies and on calls if necessary.
- Designing and providing training to staff as required.
- Debriefing with coordination, headquarters (including paediatric Advisor) and providing written report on main findings, activities, conclusions and further recommendations.
Specific Accountabilities
- Ensure quality paediatric and nutritional medical care for children admitted to the ITFC, following MSF protocols and updated clinical standards.
- Improve early identification and management of complications among children with severe acute malnutrition, including timely diagnosis, treatment, referral, and escalation of care.
- Reduce preventable morbidity and mortality through systematic clinical assessment, daily follow-up, appropriate treatment, and timely referral of complicated cases.
- Strengthen the clinical capacity of ITFC staff through bedside coaching, formal training, case reviews, and technical support on paediatric and malnutrition management.
- Strengthen infection prevention and control (IPC) and ensure compliance with MSF protocols and universal hygiene precautions within the ITFC.
- Improve clinical quality through mortality and complicated-case reviews,
- Strengthen data quality and use of paediatric/ITFC clinical data to identify trends,
- Support continuous improvement of ITFC clinical practices, proposing and implementing validated changes to paediatric and newborn care when gaps are identified.
- Ensure continuity and coordination of paediatric care with other departments and referral facilities, while maintaining good communication with caregivers and the multidisciplinary team.
Requirements
- Education: Essential: Medical Doctor Diploma from a recognized university
- Experience: Essential: Three years’ experience minimum as a Medical Doctor in paediatric hospital
- Desired: Previous experience as a paeditrcian doctor
- Previous work experience with MSF or other international healthcare organisation is an asset.
Knowledge:
- Strong Clinical skills and knowledge on outpatient care
- Computer Literacy: Computer literacy (word, excel, PPT and internet) is required
- Languages: Fluent in English Language, Hausa is desirable.
- Competencies and Qualities: Result and quality orientation, teamwork and cooperation, behavioural flexibility, Service orientation, Stress management, and commitment to MSF Principles.