Medical Officer -Emergency/Disaster Medicine – UNHCC

The UN Health Care Center has the responsibility to provide both core and non-core services to all UN staff and their eligible dependents based in Ethiopia. This responsibility includes provision of support to staff and dependents during the occurrence of different disasters and pandemics, processing MEDEVAC among other staff well-being activities.

In the past, the UN Clinic conducted mobile clinic visits to regions with poor medical facilities every two months to ensure UN personnel are well taken care of. However, for the past two years, this activity was halted given the current local situation in the Northern region of the country. This has necessitated the institution of satellite clinics in the regions of Mekelle and Shire to ensure staff well-being.

The present ToR is intended to specify the type of services required from Emergency and Critical Care Physician and guide the incumbents of the position on the dispensation of their duties at the respective duty stations, ensure clients safety, satisfaction and respect the organization’s rules and regulations from the health standpoint of view. In addition, supervision of the incumbents will be done at two levels, which are: administration by a UN organization based in the duty station and technically by the UN Health Care Center.

• Undertakes day-to-day clinical duties, e.g., walk-in’s clinic, emergencies, including following up of patients admitted to hospitals or requiring medical evacuation and discusses the health conditions of the cases with outside specialists and health care providers.
• Assess patients that enter the emergency room immediately and oversee emergency patient’s recovery.
• Resuscitate and stabilize patients and transition care to an appropriate endpoint whether that be the ICU, general inpatient bed, another provider, another hospital, air medical evacuation or home.
• Conduct follow-up visits to monitor the patient’s condition.
• Request the appropriate medical tests and based on them, follow a treatment plan.
• Develop effective patient care plans.
• Refer patients to appropriate specialists.
• Organize, facilitate and transport critically injured/ill patients to appropriate health facilities either through ground ambulance or air ambulance services.
• Ensure that patients are stable before transferring them to the proper department for further evaluation.
• Maintain the patient’s medical records.
• Coordinate with different hospital departments to ensure patients receive the necessary treatment.
• Provides health education and health promotion programs, with special emphasis on first aid training and different disease out-breaks in the continent and world at large.
• Establish and/or evaluate the Mass Casualty Incident Training with the medical team.
• Develop instructional materials for the UN staff, and make presentations on regular basis to staff and stakeholders in order to provide information on emergency plans and their implementation process.
• Inspects facilities and equipment such as emergency management centres and communications equipment to determine their operational and functional capabilities in emergency situations.
• Conducts surveys to determine the types of emergency-related needs that will need to be addressed in disaster planning, provide technical support to others conducting such surveys.
• Reviews the emergency plan of the clinic to ensure its adequacy, including studying emergency plans used elsewhere to gather information for plan development.
• Designs and administers emergency/disaster preparedness training courses that teach UN personnel how to effectively respond to major emergencies and disasters, including BLS, ACLS and First Aid Training and the implementation of the emergency plan.
• Coordinate disaster response or crisis management activities such as ordering evacuations, opening shelters and implementing special needs plans and programs.
• In collaboration with WHO monitors disease occurrence in the region and the neighboring regions and prepares advisory information circulars to the administration and staff members accordingly.
• Collaborates with UN Agencies operation in the region to prepare and analyze damage assessments following disasters or emergencies and advise the organization accordingly on mitigation measures.
• Ensures the maintenance of the clinic and emergency medical stocks (medications, vaccines and equipment).

Mass Casualties Preparedness:

The Disaster Medical Officer will design plans for the following phases:

• Pre-disaster preparedness
• Patient treatment at the disaster scene(s)
• Transportation of the disaster victims to specialized treatment centres.
• Map out and regularly updates such maps of what is available locally and what is not but can be found in neighboring countries.
• Ensures availability of different transportation means (ambulances, air ambulance services approved by the UN Aviation services, backup transport services within the country).

Medico Administrative Duties:

• Liaises with clinic management, UNHCC and UN Agencies operating inside the region to ensure the well- being of their staff members.
• Follows the United Nations established policies and procedures regarding medical clearances, sick leave and medical evacuations/repatriations.
• Manages day-to-day mission medical support operations by ensuring availability of medical supplies and proper functioning of medical equipment.

• Professionalism:  Knowledge of clinical, and disaster/emergency medicine. Formal training in CPR and, preferably in BCLS and ACLS or equivalent emergency medical care. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Communication:  Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
• Teamwork:  Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• Planning& Organizing:  Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
• Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education:

Doctorate (MD) in medicine with specialization in Emergency medicine/Critical care/Anesthesiology or Trauma Medicine.

Experience:

A minimum of four years of progressively responsible clinical experience as a medical doctor and years’ experience in Emergency/Disaster Medicine/Trauma or anesthesiology.

Language Requirements:

English and French are the working languages of the UN. Fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretariat, English or French, (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Remark:

The selected candidate will be assigned either in Mekelle or Shire as per the workload demand. Applicants are considered in agreement to this arrangement when submitting.  

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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