Medical Doctor – Antimicrobial Stewardship Focal Point at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)

JOB TITLE: Medical Doctor – Antimicrobial Stewardship Focal Point

JOB LOCATION: Sokoto (based under Coordination)

JOB DETAILS:

• Lead the antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) program in medical humanitarian in all projects. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) / Doctors Without Borders has increased its focus on the problem of antibiotic resistance.
• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is growing rapidly in low and middle-income countries including Nigeria and MSF faces ongoing challenges managing antibiotic-resistant infections in its projects, particularly in patients with severe acute malnutrition and pediatric care. AMR threatens patient outcomes, makes hospitals less safe and increases costs.
• MSF is committed to responding and one part of this response is to increase efforts to conserve the effectiveness of antibiotics through antibiotic stewardship.

General Accountabilities

• Leading promoting and supporting antimicrobial stewardship efforts in the healthcare facility(s) across the spectrum of healthcare.
• Establish and participate in a multidisciplinary AS committee (that meets regularly with Terms of Reference).
• Identify antimicrobial stewardship priorities together with the AS committee and the mission.
• Monitor, collect and analyze the antimicrobial data reported to the multidisciplinary AS committee.
• Conduct regular audits relevant to stewardship priorities. This might include audits of antibiotic use, treatment of select conditions, indications for microbiology testing, and communication of results.
• Provide feedback to the project and the mission regarding the results of audits and plan improvements.
• Coordinate and deliver education to other medical, nursing and pharmacy staff around stewardship.
• Support other clinical staff regarding antibiotic choices and regularly participate in clinical rounds.
• Liaise with the laboratory for timely communication of results (where relevant), interpretation of results and feedback to clinicians.
• Collaborate with lab + IPC to prospectively monitor pathogens of concern and respond to hospital outbreaks including outbreaks of multidrug-resistant organisms/bacteria (MDRO).
• Identify opportunities to improve stewardship in the project (e.g., therapeutic drug monitoring, OPAT).
• Participate in relevant project-level committees (e.g., IPC, Quality improvement, Morbidity + Mortality reviews).
• In collaboration with IPC and the clinical team, participate in the detection, management and prevention of healthcare-associated infections.

MSF Section / Context-Specific Accountabilities

• Identify the strategic priorities around antimicrobial resistance in the hospitals/projects where they work across the three pillars (IPC, Antimicrobial Stewardship and Diagnosis and Surveillance) with members of a multidisciplinary team.
• Work with the MTL to enhance clinical care through training and support to teams on prevention, identification and response to antimicrobial resistance in projects. As well as monitoring and evaluating prescribing practice across the domains of empirical antibiotic prescribing ensuring there is the right drug, right dose, right route, right timing and right duration.
• Engaging all prescribers in improving antibiotic prescribing.
• Engage nursing staff on AMS and the AMS nursing checklist
• Regularly review results from the laboratory and advise teams on appropriate targeted therapy
• Perform regular prescription audits and support an annual point prevalence survey at each project site and providing feedback to teams through quality improvement fora.
• Provide feedback to the MTL/Medco including drafting and regularly updating the AMR Action Plan.
• Provide monthly analysis of antibiotic consumption flag any supply chain issues to the MTL and contribute to medical orders.
• Co-chairing the AMR-IPC & WATSAN committee and ensuring the meetings are held on a monthly basis and that there are clear action points, accountable persons, and a clearly defined timeline. As Co-Chair they will be responsible for producing, sharing, and archiving) minutes of each AMR/IPC meeting for proper follow-up.

Requirements (Qualifications)
Requirements:
Education:

• Essential: Medical Degree from an agreed university/college
• Desirable: Postgraduate qualifications in tropical medicine or public health
• Desirable: Post-graduate qualification in internal medicine or pediatrics
• Desirable: enrolled in or completed quality improvement training as well as AMR.
• Desirable: completed online training in Antimicrobial stewardship (e.g. BSAC and/or WHO)

Experience:

• Essential: at least 5 years experience in working as a medical doctor in inpatient settings
• Essential: at least 2 years experience working in a low-resource setting
• Desirable: qualification in Infectious Diseases
• Desirable: conducted at least one quality improvement activity

Languages:

• Essential: Mission language, Desirable: local language(s)

Knowledge:
Essential:
As per MD1400 and for the focal point as follows:

• Have a working understanding of key pathogens, their usual antibiotic susceptibilities, typical clinical presentations, and empiric or targeted treatment
• Have a working understanding of the modes of action of antimicrobials including their spectrum of activity
• Have a working understanding of the key principles of infection prevention and control (IPC) and the relationship between IPC and AMR
• Have a working understanding of the appropriate use of antimicrobials to prevent the emergence or resistance and avoidance of adverse effects
• Have a working understanding of the use of diagnostic tests in the investigation and management of infectious diseases
• How to use data for feedback and reporting
• Computer literacy – word and Excel

Desirable:

• Understanding of behavior change principles
• Able to provide face-to-face feedback to prescribers about antibiotic prescriptions

Competencies:

• People management, Commitment to MSF Principles, Flexibility, Results, Analytical thinking, Teamwork, Planning and organization Teamwork.

HOW TO APPLY
To apply for the ongoing Médecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) job opening, visit the  APPLICATION PORTAL to submit your application!