Location: Ndola Provincial Health Office/Arthur Davison Children Hospital /Kabwe Mine Hospital
Project summary
The Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) under the controlling HIV epidemic program (CHEP) project will be implementing the HIV program to reach sustainable control of the HIV epidemic through the lens of the Zambia national HIV targets and the America first vision.
The program goal is to support the Ministry of Health to reach sustainable control of the HIV epidemic, MNCH services and GHS activities across three provinces namely, Copperbelt, central and Northwestern by implementing a person-centered HIV prevention, care and treatment program. aligned with the Ministry of Health Vision.
The CHEP project will work in collaboration with Ministry of Health teams at provincial, district and facility level and other stakeholders to:
- Increasing coverage of comprehensive and client-centered HIV testing, prevention, diagnosis, care, and treatment services in communities and health facilities to reach and maintain the 95-95-95 targets.
- Increasing utilization of community and facility-based quality, person-centered, integrated vertical transmission prevention (VTP) and other MNCH HIV services.
- Increasing capacity of Ministry of Health to gradually transition Direct Service Delivery (DSD) of quality integrated health services and sustain services beyond project activity implementation.
Job summary
Reports to the Provincial Team Lead Mentor and provides strategic and technical leadership to strengthen quality, integrated HIV/TB prevention, care, and treatment services for paediatric and adolescent populations across the province. The role focuses on implementing evidence-based, client-centered interventions to improve HIV outcomes, including testing, early infant diagnosis, linkage to care, retention, viral load coverage, and viral suppression. It provides technical oversight, mentorship, and supportive supervision to district teams and health facilities, ensures adherence to national guidelines, leads quality improvement initiatives, and promotes data-driven decision-making. The mentor collaborates with Provincial and District Health Offices and partners to strengthen coordinated program implementation, build healthcare worker capacity, support innovation and operational research, and ensure timely monitoring, reporting, and donor compliance
Main duties
- Provides strategic clinical leadership and oversight for paediatric and adolescent HIV/TB prevention, care, and treatment programs across the province, in collaboration with the Provincial Health Office and project technical leads.
- Leads the development, implementation, and monitoring of annual workplans, ensuring alignment with national guidelines and program targets for pead and adolescent activities
- Supports the scale-up of quality, client-centered services for paediatric and adolescent HIV care, AHD integration and viral load monitoring across all MOH-supported facilities and communities.
- Conducts routine provincial level program assessments to identify gaps in HIV service delivery and develop actionable improvement plans for children and adolescents
- Provides technical mentorship and capacity building to district teams and facility staff through supportive supervision, clinical mentorship, and targeted trainings in HIV prevention, care and treatment for children and adolescents
- Leads and supports data driven decision making, including regular review of program performance data to identify gaps across the HIV cascade and implement quality improvement (QI) initiatives for Peads and adolescents
- Supports the province to achieve and sustain high impact targets, including: 95% TB screening among paediatric ART clients and appropriate initiation of TB preventive therapy or treatment. 95% viral load suppression among pediatric and adolescent clients with proper documentation. >95% Advanced HIV Disease screening among clients and appropriate treatment
- Promotes and support operational research, innovation, and best practice documentation to improve pediatric and adolescent HIV outcomes.
- Identify and implement cost efficiency strategies to maximize program impact within available resources.
- Ensure compliance with donor and organizational requirements, including supporting audits and adhering to financial and programmatic guidelines.
Qualifications
- Degree in Medicine, with a master’s degree in health-related field (MMed, MPH, Epidemiology etc)
- Seven or more years of demonstrated experience as a medical doctor with HIV program implementation and clinical services for children and adolescents
- Demonstrated understanding of the principles of HIV healthcare for children and adolescent
- Demonstrated experience in health systems programming and/or health systems research.
- Ability to coach, mentor and develop technical capacity in regional and national programs and technical staff in the areas of paediatric HIV
- Detailed working knowledge of technical guidelines, best practices, and innovations in paediatric HIV/TB/VTP program approaches
- Proven team leadership skills and team player.
- Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
- Good computer skills, including competence in MS Office and internet/e-mail.
- Willingness to travel extensively in the supported districts.
Suitably qualified candidates are invited to apply. However, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Priority will be given to candidates who reside in the towns where the position is vacant