Laboratory Quality Systems Consultant At Amref Health Africa

Background

Amref Health Africa (Amref) has been awarded a CDC grant to implement the project Strengthening and Supporting the Development of an HIV-Related Proficiency Testing Network and Tiered Laboratory Continuous Quality Improvement Program in 12 PEPFAR funded countries in the Asian Region: India, Laos, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Burma, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.

Amref is looking for a Laboratory Quality Systems Consultant with expertise in strengthening laboratory quality management systems in PEPFAR funded HIV/TB activities in Asia to support implementation of project technical activities through a Community of Practice (COP) of all countries. The consultant will be assigned a number of selected countries and will work closely with members of each country-based LabCoP Technical Working Group (TWG) to implement the project activities according to an agreed workplan, using both virtual and face-to-face approaches. The Amref Deputy Project Director, key project staff and consultant will establish effective communication channels with the LabCoP TWG members, and will provide overall coordination, supervision and guidance to the Consultant to ensure effective and timely implementation of the agreed project activities.

Organizational Affiliation

The Consultant will be engaged in an individual capacity and should not be affiliated to any organisation.

Nature of Services to be Rendered

The services of the Consultant will include the following activities, depending on the country’s workplan

1. Demand Creation for HIV VL/EID testing
   1. Support development and training on national strategy and procedures to increase demand for specialized or newly introduced HIV-related laboratory tests;
   2. Coordinate education and awareness creating forums, and assess knowledge and understanding of HIV treatment monitoring through viral load testing;
   3. Coordinate workshops and meetings and conduct health education for all stakeholders on approaches to VL/EID testing.
2. Specimen Collection and Processing
   1. Support development and approval of national guidelines on quality specimen collection and processing for HIV-related diagnostic tests, focusing on VL/EID;
   2. Support to national monitoring systems for specimen collection and storage procedures;
   3. Provide TA on establishment of VL/EID specimen rejection criteria;
   4. Provide TA on monitoring of specimen quality and rejection rates as a routine quality improvement activity.
3. Sample Transportation
   1. Support development of national integrated sample referral networks for HIV-related diagnostics;
   2. Provide TA on monitoring of TAT, review and documentation of corrective actions for longer VL/EID TAT (> 20 days).
4. HIV VL/EID Testing
   1. Provide TA to Ministries of Health (MoH) on implementation of Quality Management Systems (QMS) as part of a national program towards accreditation of testing facilities;
   2. Provide TA to MoH on development and implementation of standardized scorecards/QMS assessment tools;
   3. Provide TA, and coordinate PT distribution and testing for HIV-related tests in relevant facilities;
   4. Provide TA for development, sensitization and dissemination of essential tools for VL/EID testing facilities.
5. Waste Management and Biosafety
   1. Support development of national Biosafety and Biosecurity Guidelines and sensitization to national LabCoPs.
6. Supply Chain Management and Equipment Maintenance
   1. Provide TA on forecasting, quantification and coordination of supplies distribution for VL/EID testing facilities;
   2. Review testing capacity and provide TA on coverage of forecasted needs for continuous national testing optimization;
   3. Provide TA on development of a laboratory equipment maintenance plan and coordination of service maintenance;
   4. Coordinate mapping of staff in VL/EID testing laboratories, identify training needs and facilitate relevant training.
7. Results Utilization
   1. Provide TA on establishment of national standardized LIMS and implementation across VL/EID testing laboratories with well-defined roles and responsibilities;
   2. Coordinate Continuing Medical Education (CME) on HIV-related testing and support through clinic-laboratory interface meetings;
   3. Provide TA on development, sensitization and dissemination of national guidelines and tools for Enhanced Adherence Counselling (EAC);
   4. Provide TA on development of referral procedures for patients with suppressed VL to less intense models of care.
8. Leadership and Management
   1. Coordinate with MoHs to reconstitute and activate TWGs;
   2. Provide TA to MoHs to develop VL/EID testing Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) frameworks, and conduct analysis to improve the effectiveness of VL/EID scale-up.

Relevance of Service to the Project

The services to be offered stem from the domain areas in the overall project workplan.

Number of Days of the Consultancy (basis for fee)

The duration of the consultancy will be part-time throughout the duration of the project, currently projected to cover the 11 months’ remaining implementation period in Year 2 of the project. Specific timelines for delivery of each activity will be defined and further refined in the individual workplans for each country that will be developed by the Deputy Project Director in discussion with each consultant, and monitored by Amref’s project management system.

Expected Rate of Compensation

Each consultant will be compensated at an agreed rate per month while other costs of travel, per diem, supplies, and other related expenses will be met by Amref.

Method of Accountability

The Consultant will work closely with the Deputy Project Director who will provide advisory oversight and guidance where necessary in activity planning and execution. Through Amref’s M&E unit, a results framework will be formulated from the agreed workplan from which indicators will be tracked. In addition, a monthly reporting template will be provided to each consultant using which activity inputs and outcomes will be reported to the Project M&E Assistant and Deputy Project Director.

The Person

• 5-7 years of relevant experience, supporting laboratory systems and HIV and TB care services.
• Master’s degree in Biomedical Science, Environmental Health/Public Health (PhD Preferred) or relevant field.