Organization:
Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) is established in India as an independent non-profit created under Section 8 (Indian) Companies Act, 2013 with its office in New Delhi.
The organization is dedicated to activities that result in: 1) new diagnostic tools; 2) expanded access to these tools; and 3) strengthened diagnostic testing capacity for poverty-related diseases. FIND India has several projects in TB, Hepatitis C (HCV), COVID-19, Malaria, Fevers and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
Background:
FIND India is the key implementing partner of Central TB Division, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, for strengthening and expanding TB laboratory diagnostic capacity under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP) with the support of the Global Fund.
FIND India is a Principal Recipient (PR) of the international donor, Global Fund, “Strengthening sustainable laboratory diagnostic network of NTEP and improving universal access to TB services for patients engaged with the private sector”.
FIND India is supporting the NTEP lab network through continued sustenance of service delivery and expansion of NTEP’s diagnostic capacity for Drug Resistant-TB through development of 20 new C-DST labs, operationalisation of genome sequencing equipment and scaling up of the LIMS to all C-DST labs.
The project will work to scale up the diagnostic network optimization exercise to cover 10 large states which contribute to majority of the testing volumes. These include Uttar Pradesh,Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha, Punjab, Telangana, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. The key activities and outputs under the project will include:
1. Coordinating collection of data from the identified districts in the State related to location of the CBNAAT, TrueNat, their current capacity and utilisation, patient flow and status of sample referral sytems.
2. Optimizing placement of existing CBNAAT and TrueNat devices in the public sector testing sites.
3. Estimate future demand for testing as upfront CBNAAT/NAAT is expanded to all newly diagnosed TB patients.
4. Map the location and capacity of TB diagnostic testing services in selected private sector labs and propose engagement models and referral patterns to optimize overall network efficiency and increase patient access to diagnosis.
5. Recommend the optimal sample referral network design from health facility to molecular testing site, plus on-referral for C/DST/LPA using multi-stop estimation method.
Additionally, FIND India is also implementing activities under “Joint Effort for Elimination of Tuberculosis” (JEET) project, and the Unite to ACT project. JEET with an aim to partner with the private sector in various states of India to increase notifications, microbiological
confirmation of TB patients, and facilitate early treatment initiation and adherence support systems for improved treatment completion rates with mechanisms to reduce the high costs toTB patients. Also, to realize India’s ambitious goals of TB elimination, it is critical that affected
communities, survivor-led networks, CSOs, PRIs, and other community institutions work in synergy to translate the TB response into a national movement towards elimination. Unite to ACT will prioritize TB Care and Prevention through Community TB Care Delivery. Through the
project, the community will support the program in the efficient delivery of services, in ways that speak to individual needs - particularly of members of key affected and marginalized populations - across the care cascade.
Number of Positions: 7
Locations:
1. UP
2. Haryana, Rajasthan
3. Maharashtra
4. Jharkhand
5. Chhattisgarh
6. West Bengal/Meghalaya/Mizoram
7. Tamil Nadu/Telangana
Your roles and responsibilities:
• Coordinate with State TB Officer, Public and Private TB health facilities to collect and compile relevant data for network optimisation activity.
• Conduct site visits to numerous public and private TB diagnostic health facilities of the state.
• Conduct interviews with the facility staff to obtain relevant information as per defined formats.
• Identify data gaps.
• Data quality control, source data verification, query raising and resolution, data cleaning.
• Support development and review state specific documents developed under the project.
• Support analysis of collected data and development of implementation models.
• Support implementation of activities as per the developed implementation models.
• Report writing, analysis and action plan development.
• Communication and Coordination with various stakeholders.
Experience and qualifications:
• Post-graduate degree in Life sciences with background (e.g. epidemiology, microbiology,molecular biology immunology etc).
OR
• Postgraduate degree/diploma in health or a MSW would be preferred.
• Atleast 3 years’ experience of working in public health programs at State/ district level in a supervisory/managerial position. Experience of working in HIV / TB and/or other infectious diseases would be preferred.
• Ability to work independently, coupled with management and organizational skills.
• Excellent time management, able to prioritize tasks and accomplish set goals efficiently
• Basic computer applications like Word, Excel and Power Point. Knowledge of electronic data capture (EDC) and experience with CRF development
• Understanding the challenges related to national TB/ HIV program.
• A team-oriented approach with strong written and oral communication skills
• Available to travel extensively (up to 75% of the time) within Project State and Delhi on short notice.
• Performs other duties as assigned by management / line managers.
Nature of appointment:
The selected candidate shall be offered a Fixed Term Employment contract for 36 months.
Compensation offered:
The gross remuneration budgeted for the position shall be commensurate with the qualifications, experience, and salary history, of the selected candidate.
Deadline to send your application: 30 April 2021
Please note that only applicants meeting the profile requirements will be personally contacted.
Applications sent by recruitment agencies will not be considered.