EMERGENCY is an independent and neutral international organisation founded in 1994 to provide free, high-quality medical and surgical care to victims of war, landmines and poverty.

EMERGENCY promotes a culture of peace, solidarity and respect for human rights. We work in a sustainable way: building healthcare facilities, training local personnel, and conducting search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean Sea.

ROSTER POSITION FOR: Sierra Leone, Sudan and Afghanistan

TYPE OF CONTRACT: fixed term contract (6 months), which includes a monthly salary, travel expenses, board and lodgings, insurance cover (liability, health and accident insurance), a period of paid leave to be taken at the end of the mission.

The Paediatrician has complete and autonomous capacity in the diagnosis and clinical management of paediatric patients, including clinical emergencies and patients suffering from malnutrition.

BACKGROUND AND ORGANISATION OF WORK

The Paediatrician will work as part of a team of international specialists – experts or in training – organising and carrying out the training of the local medical and health care staff in his/her area of responsibility, in collaboration with an international paediatric nurse and the Medical Coordinator of the project. On occasion, a resident physician (Paediatrics) will be present to support clinical activity or research. The Paediatrician is responsible to the Medical Coordinator, who is in charge of the management and organisation of the project.

The Paediatrician participates in the daily ward round together with the local staff. He/she will be present in the clinic 5-6 days a week, collaborate with the nursing personnel responsible for triage on the morning shift, or supervise the work of the national staff in the treatment rooms. He/she will also be on-call 24/7 for emergencies on the ward or in Outpatients Department (OPD); the latter does not apply to Mayo (see below).

The Paediatrician collaborates with the organisation of the national doctors’ rota to guarantee medical care coverage 24/7 on the ward.

DUTIES AND REPONSIBILITIES

All EMERGENCY international personnel is expected to know and follow the hospital admissions criteria, guidelines, protocols, and the diagnosis and treatment standards in use in the Centre, and to ensure the correct compilation of clinical records and statistics in both computer and paper formats.

The main duties and responsibilities of the Paediatrician specialist are:

• diagnosis and management of the main paediatric illnesses, especially infectious diseases;
• management of malnourished paediatric patients, who are often very young (0-3 years);
• management of paediatric emergencies;
• to offer on-the-job and formal teaching to the national doctors;
• mentoring of resident physicians (where present);
• assisting in clinical research and record keeping as required by the scientific programmes of the specialist sector of the Medical Division of EMERGENCY.

Clinical activity and decisions regarding patient treatment must always be discussed and shared with the national doctors and nurses, the international paediatric nurse and the Medical Coordinator of the project.

MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING OF LOCAL PERSONNEL

Clinical activities and patient care are always carried out alongside and in collaboration with local personnel, who thus benefit from training in the field. There is also provision for more specific teaching activities, managed by the international specialists, in accordance with the clinical protocols in use and as agreed with the Medical Coordinator.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

• Medical Degree and current professional registration on the medical register of your Country of residence;
• specialisation in Paediatrics;
• at least 5 years’ relevant hospital experience, particularly on paediatric wards;
• a Master’s Degree or a specialization in tropical medicine would be an advantage;
• good working knowledge of French (only for the Central African Republic).

REQUIRED AVAILABILITY

6 months’ overseas stay including a period of leave to be taken at the end of the mission in agreement with the coordinator.