Medical Officer

Organization Background
Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (www.rescue.org) is a world leader in relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict development services for those uprooted or affected by violent conflict and oppression. The IRC is currently working in over 40 countries around the world, addressing both the immediate and lifesaving needs of conflict affected people in emergencies and the reconstruction needs of post-conflict societies.
The IRC began programming in northern Uganda in 1998 in response to mass displacement and devastation wrought by rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army. In 2002, the IRC expanded to the remote, conflict-affected region of Karamoja and in 2011, began working with refugees in Kampala and Kiryandongo settlement. Monitoring the influx of South Sudanese refugees at the end of 2015, the IRC began scaling up its response to refugees arriving in the West Nile region. By promoting durable solutions that deliver on the interdependent aims of saving lives, strengthening institutions, and supporting social cohesion, the IRC in Uganda is laying the building blocks for long-term stability and development – bringing people from harm to home. The IRC currently works in the districts of Kitgum, Lamwo, Arua, Yumbe, Kyegegwa, Kiryandongo, Kyaka and Kampala including 7 districts in Karamoja region.

Job Overview
Under the guidance of the Deputy Health Manager, the Medical Officer shall be responsible for ensuring that effective, efficient and quality clinical services are provided in all IRC supported Health facilities in Rhino camp or Imvepi refugee settlement. He/ She shall be responsible for ensuring that medicines and medical supplies are available for effective service delivery. The medical Officer shall be responsible for supervising other medical staff below him/her to ensure that there is on-going provision of services that are safe for the beneficiaries both at the community level and health facility. He/ she shall also give oversight and guidance to the health workers on proper management of medical conditions according to the Ministry of Health guidelines.

Duties and Responsibilities
• Provide comprehensive evaluation and delivery of health services to persons of concern according to ministry of health guidelines and protocols and UNHCR public health strategy.
• Coordinate integrated service delivery at the health facilities including, but not limited to; mental health, NCD's, Nutrition, HIV care and RH including coordination of consultancy and outreach visits.
• Conduct daily ward rounds for IPD patients and attend to all emergencies both medical and surgical while on duty.
• Ensure adequate health team coverage of the clinics and rationale prescription and use of medicines and medical supplies.
• Monitor availability of supplies and promptly alert the clinical services and health managers.
• Coordinate clinical audits, chart reviews and mortality audits as part of continuous learning and improvement of activities.
• Identify training needs and provide just-in-time training and mentorship for the multi-disciplinary health care teams.
• Promptly evaluate patients for referral and follow up to ensure services are accessed at the point of referral.
• Support the implementation of emergency reproductive health services including basic emergency obstetric and neonatal care.
• Coordinate with district health authorities and other agencies to avoid duplication of services in the settlements and to optimize health outcomes through increased access to life saving interventions.
• Actively participate in mobilizing and educating the refugee community to adopt health promoting behaviors.
• Ensure consistent and timely collection, utilization and reporting of community health and facility-based health data.
• Represent the health program and maintain effective and cordial relationship with district health authorities and other district officials, UN agencies, Community leaders and other NGO's.
• Conduct disease surveillance activities and manage outbreaks.

Qualifications
• Bachelor's Degree in Medicine and Surgery
• Must be registered with Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioner's council
• Must possess a valid practicing license
• At least two years' experience in clinical work in humanitarian setting.
• Good track record of clinical management of common ailments.
• Knowledge of grants management.
• Working contacts within health sector, including district health care authorities and other NGO's.
• Fluency in English and any other relevant local language.
• Strong analytical orientation and sound judgment
• Proactiveness, resourcefulness, punctuality, responsibility.
• Excellent administrative/management skills.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills.
• Solid understanding of the social, economic and political context of a refugee setting.
• Dedication to the IRC principles and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with persons of different national and cultural background
• Proficiency in current office software applications (MS- word, excel, PowerPoint).
Please note: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Deadline for receiving applications is October 7th 2021.
The IRC and IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
We are committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer generous benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances. We welcome and strongly encourage qualified female professionals to apply.
All staff, regardless of role, are required to create a culture of client responsiveness by requesting and using client feedback data to make decisions. In addition, all staff are expected to demonstrate inclusiveness when making programmatic decisions and working with clients, partners and colleagues from diverse backgrounds. You can read more about the IRC’s commitment to client responsiveness here: https://www.rescue.org/resource/client-responsiveness-introduction-and-faq
IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.