Neonatologist

COUNTRY Afghanistan

REQUIRED LANGUAGES English

TYPE OF CONTRACT Fixed term contract – paid (6 months)

NECESSARY REQUIREMENTS Specialisation in Paediatrics; at least 5 years’ hospital experience in Neonatology.

This role requires complete and autonomous capacity in the diagnosis and clinical management of the physiological and pathological neonatal patients.

BACKGROUND AND ORGANISATION OF WORK

The international Paediatrician Neonatologist supervises, coordinates and works alongside the national medical personnel in the Neonatology department – in delivery room, in clinic and in ward – in collaboration with an international paediatric nurse.

He/She will join the team of international specialists at the Maternity Centre – gynaecologists, midwives and nurse – organising and carrying out the training of the local medical and health care staff and be responsible for clinical activity in Neonatology area and Nursery.

The international Paediatrician Neonatologist is responsible to the Medical Coordinator, who is in charge of the management and organisation of the project.

The departments in which you may be required to work are:

• DELIVERY ROOM;
• NEONATOLOGY: Neonatal ICU and Sub-ICU (Level II);
• NURSERY;
• NEONATAL FOLLOW-UP.

The paediatrician will be present in the hospital 6 days a week, will carry out medical examinations and participate in the ward round. He/she will be on-call 24/7 in case of neonatal emergencies, both on the ward and in the delivery room. The international Paediatrician Neonatologist collaborates with the organisation of the national doctors’ rota to guarantee medical care coverage 24/7.

DUTIES AND REPONSIBILITIES

All EMERGENCY international personnel are 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 international Paediatrician Neonatologist are:

• diagnosis and management of the main paediatric illnesses;
• management of the emergencies in delivery room;
• management of the Neonatal ICU and Sub-ICU (Level II);
• management of the Nursery;
• 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.

SURGICAL AND MEDICAL CENTRE – Anabah, Afghanistan

In 2003 the EMERGENCY Surgical and Medical Centre in Anabah broadened its admissions criteria to include Paediatrics and Maternity (Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology).

PAEDIATRICS — The Centre includes an Emergency Department and a clinic for medical examinations. Each month an average of 400-500 paediatric medical examinations are carried out in collaboration with the national medical staff; around 10% require admission to the ward. The paediatric ward has 25 beds.

NEONATOLOGY — The Maternity Centre is the only facility in the area specialising in Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatology. In view of the increased activities of the Centre and in order to respond to the increased needs of the local population, In 2016 EMERGENCY decided to expand the Centre to handle up to 6-7,000 deliveries per year and boost obstetric and neonatal activities.

The protocols in use provide for the positioning of umbilical vein catheters and neonatal transfusions; endotracheal intubation is reserved for severe cases of meconium aspiration. The most common conditions which the specialist has to manage are: Low Birth Weight, meconium aspiration syndrome, an Apgar score of less than 7 at 5 minutes, respiratory distress and neonatal infections.

Good neonatal resuscitation skills are therefore required. The ward is equipped with oxygen supplies (oxygen concentrators, tanks and C-PAP), pulse oximeter, monitor, neonatal isolettes, incubators and phototherapy lamps.

GUIDELINES, PROTOCOLS AND EQUIPMENT

Further information on the guidelines, protocols and clinical services relevant to the post along with details of the instruments and equipment available will be provided at interview and during the period of preparation for the mission. The general requirements and conditions apply to all the international staff.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

• Medical Degree and current professional registration on the medical register of your Country of residence;
• specialisation in Paediatrics;
• at least 5 years’ hospital experience;
• clinical experience in Neonatology.

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. Shorter missions may only be considered for specific needs as defined by the organisation.