Profile
DIPLOMA
- Bachelor's degree in a healthcare-related field (public health, nursing, microbiology, pharmacy, medecine etc.)
- Infection Prevention Control certificate/diploma
EXPERIENCE
- Minimum 2 years of professional experience as IPC specialist in a hospital context
- Tropical and infectious disease diploma or experience in low and middle income countries is an asset
- Experience in organizing/implementing IPC program
- Experience in team management
- Training experience
AVAILABILITY
- 3 to 12 months
LANGUAGE
- English B1 or French B1
SKILLS
- Willingness to work in multicultural and multidisciplinary team
Infection and Prevention Control (IPC) is one of the main pillars of medical care in all contexts as well as the fight against antibiotic resistance (ABR). The IPC role is to ensure and improve the patients, relatives and medical staff safety and to improve the quality of cares to avoid prolonged hospitalization due to nosocomial infections, but also to avoid the proliferation of bacteria resistant to antibiotics in the countries where MSF works.
In this purpose, it is essential to improve the perception and the importance of hygiene as well as local practice.
Different strategies are implemented:
- Technical support
- Reinforcement of knowledge and practice
- Implementation of adapted protocols
- Creation of practical assessment and action plan support
Activities
The IPC specialist should develop a strategy to improve infectious risk management in the project’s health center for example by initiating a change at the system level (availability of appropriate infrastructure and stocks) by monitoring, training and reporting.
Ideally, a local IPC focal point should be trained on all activities to ensure long-term follow-up and implementation
- In consultation with the managers of the various services, using existing tools (guidelines, checklists, audit forms, training); ensure the implementation of standard and complementary precautions to fight cross-transmission in all wards of the project’s health structure
- Ensure IPC supervision, technical support and training of all staff including sterilization, laundry and kitchen.
- Organize and lead an efficient Hygiene Committee
- Collaborate with the microbiology lab team for the monitoring and detection of outbreaks
- Implementation and training of the standard outbreak report including epidemiological investigation and action plan