Cluster Lab Officers x2 Infectious Disease Institute

The laboratory field officer will work closely with development partners ,Ministry of Health, District, and facility teams to strengthen lab systems and build capacity of supported laboratories to provide high quality services in line with national guidelines

Key Responsibilities
• Design and implement strategies to ensure that project supported sites attain minimum Ministry of Health requirements following SLMTA program(at hubs) and establish a frame work for facility specific LQMS at none SLMTA Labs

Conduct detailed audit of project supported sites, prepare action-oriented work plans and come up with innovative strategies to fill the identified gaps to ensure delivery of quality lab services

Guide facility teams to regularly report on lab activities through routine high quality HMIS reports and activity reports in line with standard Ministry of health, donor and project timelines

Plan, coordinate and conduct didactic trainings and mentorships for District and facility teams to address capacity gaps and build skills for delivery of quality lab services

Conduct site mentorship and joint support supervision visits to SLMTA and none SLMTA labs and facilities to ensure effective implementation of LQMS in liaison with national and District technical teams

Guide and supervise lab infrastructure refurbishment and management efforts in all project supported sites
• Design and functionalize systems to support District and facility teams to accurately quantify, forecast, orders and manage laboratory supplies and commodities to ensure constant availability
• Organize and schedule hub coordination review meetings and ensure smooth hub operations and effective utilization of HIV and TB related lab services including VL, TB gene xpert, crag, DNA-PCR

Work closely with the clinical team to support viral load monitoring to at least 90% coverage, results return within agreed upon TAT, follow up of unsuppressed patients and specimen rejection rates to less than 5%.
• Strengthen QA efforts both at the labs and POC and ensure that the lab supervises point-of-care testers to participate in internal and external quality control schemes in line with national guidelines
• Establish and strengthen lab biosafety practices, good equipment management practices including calibration, monitor commercial service contracts for lab equipment, regional and central equipment maintenance workshops and ensure that there is uninterrupted service delivery as a result of equipment malfunction
• Support sample courier services to ensure uninterrupted Specimen transport network for health care (HIV, CD4, VL, Crag and TB (gene xpert and C/S for MDR )
• Supervise hub/Sample rider movements, ensure rider is trained in biosafety, has protection gear, vaccinated, bike is well maintained, fuel +2T availed and accounted for and schedule followed

Person Specification
• Bachelors degree in Biomedical Laboratory technology/science
• Full and active registration with the Allied Health Professionals council
• Training in laboratory quality management systems and biosafety
• Up to date knowledge of national HIV/AIDS and TB management protocals
• 2 years’ experience in laboratory systems strengthening at District levels in a PEPFAR funded program
• Excellent communication, organization and management skills
• High level of client confidentiality and ethical conduct
• Basic computer literacy skills
• Good knowledge and understanding of public health systems and local government policies