Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant TB Advisor Full-Time

Star program description

Sustaining Technical and Analytic Resources (STAR) is a project of the Public Health Institute (PHI) supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Global Health (GH) Bureau. Its purpose is twofold: (1) Through individual fellowships, STAR will help strengthen the capacity of diverse American and low-and-middle-income country (LMIC) health professionals at all levels to make innovative contributions to global health (GH); and (2) STAR will create ground-breaking opportunities for both US and LMIC GH academic institutions and other groups, including professional associations, to create systems for open-access knowledge sharing, resulting in effective partnerships. STAR’s individual and institutional participants are contributing to the development of self-sustaining systems and tools that will produce global citizens with the full spectrum of relevant health competencies. STAR is managed by the Public Health Institute and implemented in partnership with Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH).

About the fellowship

The STAR Fellowship is a two-year global health and learning opportunity with:

• Individualized, tailored support to enhance the fellow’s achievement personal and professional goals
• Personalized learning plans and access to learning resources (courses, conferences, mentoring) based on fellow’s learning style and preferences.
• Access to broad professional networks to enhance peer learning and knowledge sharing.

Fellowship opportunity description

Background:

USAID is a leader in the global fight against tuberculosis (TB) and supports anti-TB efforts in countries with high TB ​​burden or prevalence. Embedded advisors, such as STAR grant recipients, are a key component of the USAID Administrator’s “TB Accelerator” initiative aimed at achieving the goals of the UN General Assembly General Declaration, as well as increasing the capacity and commitment of governments hosts to ensure TB self-sufficiency. through evidence-based TB programs.

USAID’s TB investment in Mozambique aims to increase TB case reporting, case detection and treatment outcomes by strengthening the health system with a view to ending the TB epidemic in the country. USAID’s investment TB will maximize TB/HIV activities supported by the US President’s Emergency Relief Plan (PEPFAR), Global Fund (GF) grants, and funding from the Government of Mozambique to support health staff and infrastructure.

Introduction:

The Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant TB Advisor (Advisor) will provide state-of-the-art expertise at the National level to support the National TB Program (NTP) in implementing their National TB Strategic Plans (NSPs). They will also support the National TB Program and build the capacity of the NTP Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant TB (PMDT) officer(s) in strengthening the PMDT program at the country level and improving the diagnosis and management of MDR, and pre-XDR/XDR-TB.

Reporting structure:

The Advisor will report administratively to the Central Health Authorities, namely the NTP Manager/Director and receive technical direction from the National MDR TB Focal Point, who will serve as their Onsite Manager. The Advisor will also work closely with the USAID/Mozambique and USAID/XDR-TB Washington teams.

Essential Duties and Outcomes:

Strategic capacity building support and mentorship to NTP PMDT Officers on the implementation of NSP to address Drug-resistant TB:

• Ensure the optimal functionality and effective supervision and capacity building of existing Drug-Resistant (DR) TB sites, including the use of mentorship, cohort monitoring, quality improvement tools and improved supervisory arrangements to increase the consistency and quality of clinical practice in PMDT;
• Provide advice and recommendations in the plan for expansion to additional DR TB treatment sites;
• Review policy options for new regimens for consideration by NTP, by staying current on global updates for New Drug (ND) Shortened Treatment Regimen (STR), to ensure early adoption of international guidelines;
• Build the NTP capacity in the areas of introduction, implementation and scale-up of the new drug regimen(s), including by sharing knowledge;
• Provide support in the rollout of STR, regimens lacking injectables, and new drugs and regimens (ND&R) for drug resistant TB including development of training curricula, guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs);
• Analyze the drivers of loss to follow-up and other poor outcomes; initiate (with NTP) any necessary corrective actions;
• Work with NTP to guide the national process of adopting and scaling up a customized DR-TB Comprehensive package;
• Assist with identification or introduction of other new technical and clinical developments to improve the MDR, Pre-XDR/XDR-TB patients’ treatment outcome.

Improved implementation and coordination of PMDT activities financed by Global Fund and USAID:

• Support the NTP PMDT officer(s) to accelerate PMDT activities financed by Global Fund;
• Work with NTP and Global Fund and/or the Ministry of Social Affairs to link MDR-TB patients with nutrition, cash, psychosocial support packages, or other benefits;
• Provide regular updates on PMDT progress to NTP and USAID, including developing and submitting technical monthly progress report and bi-annual monitoring and evaluation report to USAID staff;
• Participate in regular conference calls with USAID as needed;
• Support the NTP PMDT officer(s) to expand the current national effort in active TB drug-safety monitoring and management (aDSM) and to strengthen the reporting and management of serious adverse events (SAEs), including integrated pharmacovigilance;
• Strengthen the NTP’s ability to oversee a well-coordinated PMDT program through ambulatory care throughout the country, with established reporting and recording tools and standard operating procedures;
• Coordinate PMDT implementation and technical assistance activities among all stakeholders, including the MoH/NTP, USAID, Global Fund, World Bank and implementing partners;
• Lead PMDT working group on behalf of NTP.

Anticipated learning outcomes: * Required 10% time

• Demonstrate proficiency across the core global health competencies defined as development practice, cross cultural awareness, communication, capacity strengthening, ethics of public health, health equity, gender equality and global burden of disease that is necessary for persons practicing in global health;
• Apply PMDT and TB knowledge to strengthen program;
• Apply and distinguish international standards within technical/content area to support programming;
• Cultivate leadership skills based on the STAR GH mentorship curriculum to effectively facilitate capacity building and knowledge sharing activities amongst staff and peers;
• Expand access to knowledge and resources through networking and collaborative practice within global health.

Fellowship requirements

Required:

• MD plus certificate in internal medicine or MPH or equivalent.
• Minimum 7 years of PMDT experience with master’s degree or a minimum of 9 years of PMDT experience with bachelor’s degree.
• Demonstrated ability to review, analyze and advise all aspects of PMDT at national and regional level.
• Up-to-date knowledge of WHO and national policies on all aspects of the management of drug resistant TB.
• Up-to-date knowledge of ongoing and emerging issues in PMDT, like epidemiology, international policy, evidence development and (MDR) TB control strategies, especially regarding shorter MDR regimens, new drugs and new diagnostics.
• Experience in teaching/training and capacity building.
• Experience working with the key stakeholders in TB program, preferably the national stakeholders and international donors.
• Fluency in English and Portuguese with ability to actively participate in meetings in English.
• Mozambique citizenship required.

Additional skills (preferred):

In depth knowledge and hands-on experience in the clinical management of drug resistant TB is an advantage.