HIV CARE AND TREATMENT, PEDIATRIC SPECIALIST: DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA

Position Status: Accepting Resumes

Position Description: As the HIV Care & Treatment, Pediatric Specialist you will be responsible for providing support services to satisfy the overall operational objectives of the Program and Organization. USG aims to expand services for HIV care and treatment to children affected and infected with HIV. In order to assist the MoHSW Tanzania to identify HIV-exposed / –infected children and to provide care and treatment for them, the Organization is requesting technical assistance. The primary objective is to develop a strategy for USG partners to work in collaboration with Government of Tanzania officials to improve access to pediatric HIV care and treatment and provide scientific technical assistance and policy formulation for activities related to care and treatment for low income persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) especially antiretroviral therapies (ARV).

List each task to be performed:

• Meet with all USG treatment partners to sensitize them to pediatric C&T issues and to develop common strategies to promote HIV testing and treatment among children.
• Assess planned / implemented strategies by various partners and MoHSW for pediatric HIV C&T.
• Visit sites to understand current procedures and to identify missed opportunities to improve access to pediatric HIV C&T.
• Participate in an interagency task force team to assess PMTCT and pediatric HIV in Tanzania.
• Reviewing current guidelines and making recommendations how to integrate pediatric HIV C&T (i.e. adding 'memos' to existing guidelines).
• Provide assistance and advice for all HIV/AIDS care activities in Tanzania.
• Help ensures that all activities contribute to the achievement of the Organization’s goals.
• Provide technical assistance and advice on activities of a multicultural team implementing care activities and working with partner agencies and groups.
• Provide technical assistance for care activities based on the latest relevant science, and that scientific knowledge is translated into program guidelines and practices for both OI prophylaxis and ARV use.
• Participate with the Organization at the highest levels, including donor meetings and meetings of technical strategy and policy groups.
• Provide guidance and advice on HIV/AIDS care, ARVs, OI prophylaxis, symptomatic and palliative care and support for HIV-infected persons.
• Participate in and provide advice as necessary on the development of guidelines, operational procedures and manuals, educational materials, teaching modules etc for implementing HIV/AIDS care, OI prophylaxis, and ARV initiatives.
• Participate in and provide advice on implementation of monitoring and evaluation activities for HIV/AIDS care activities supported by the organization.
• Develop and implement an operational research agenda, within the operational and fiscal limits of AIDS Program.
• Attend technical, policy, and strategic meetings, including with other collaborators and donor agencies.
• Provide technical advice to national, regional, and international stakeholders in all matters pertaining to HIV/AIDS care, including ARV use and OI prophylaxis.
• Undertake evaluation visits nationally, regionally, and internationally to further influence and benefit the Organization’s activities.
• Advise Country Director on other tasks related to the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the Organization’s activities in support of HIV/AIDS care and prevention in Tanzania.

Employee will identify strategies to:

• Identify asymptomatic HIV-exposed children at routine pediatric follow up visits (i.e. immunization visits).
• Initiate Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis for HIV-exposed children.
• Implement diagnostic counseling and testing for HIV infection among children suspicious for HIV infection at possible entry points (routine immunization visits, pediatric wards, OPDs etc) and refer them for care and treatment.
• Adapt existing guidelines to integrate the management of HIV-exposed / -infected children.
• Better link existing programs that deal with children (ANC, PMTCT, MCH, CTC).
• Use routine follow up visits as entry point for family - centered HIV C&T.

Salary Grade: Varies upon experience

Location of Position: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Minimum Qualifications:

• Excellent English speaking and writing skills are required.
• Completion of University degree in Medicine: Post graduate training in program management and public health.
• A minimum of five years work and clinical experience in the care and treatment of PLWHA.
• A minimum of five years work and clinical experience in program implementation, evaluation and clinical medical research in the area of PLWHA.
• Knowledge and experience in HIV counseling and testing required.
• Accepting applications from US Citizens & Foreign Nationals. Local Tanzania Nationals are not eligible.