ALIMA in the DRC
ALIMA has been operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo since August 2011 in two areas relating to its expertise: nutrition and the fight against epidemic diseases (cholera, measles and malaria). For all of its programs, ALIMA works in close collaboration with the Congolese health and administrative authorities.
From 2013, ALIMA decided to focus all of its activities on the fight against epidemic diseases, by developing a Response to Health and WASH Emergencies (RUSH) project specific to epidemics of measles, malaria and cholera. . These are multidisciplinary rapid response teams to strengthen the surveillance system, increase rapid assessment capacities and ensure response to emergencies by providing health care and WASH services.
In 2015 ALIMA, still through its RUSH projects, responded to the major measles outbreak at the end of 2015 in the former province of Katanga. ALIMA participated, in coordination with the authorities and other partners present in the area, in the emergency vaccination response. Thus, between August 2015 and January 2016, more than 285,000 children aged 6 months to 10 years were vaccinated against measles.
In 2016, ALIMA continued its same activities through the RUSH project component in the former Katanga. Four interventions were carried out and made it possible to treat 1,400 cases of cholera, more than 800 cases of measles, more than 30,000 cases of malaria and vaccinate more than 149,000 children against measles. The year 2016 was also marked by an increase in cholera cases across the country. ALIMA therefore launched a cholera response in the provinces of Maniema, Tshopo and Mongala in November 2016.
Since April 2021, the NGO ALIMA has supported the implementation of an intubated nutritional project “Fight against inequalities in access to maternal and child care, mainly nutritional, for vulnerable people in the Kailo ZS, Maniema Province, DRC” .
In Maniema, to respond to the Mpox epidemic, the Tunda health zone was faced with serious difficulties in dealing with this epidemic: lack of drugs, providers not trained in the management of the disease and limited surveillance and the escalation of cases in the community. Several obstacles to access to health care should be noted, among others, insufficient income for the community to bear the cost of care, the high cost of care, insufficient infrastructure for the isolation of active cases and above all failure to support healthcare providers in capacity building.
Faced with the weakness of the health system to cope with these multiple needs, the ALIMA/IMT/INRB consortium in collaboration with the Ministry of Health has provided support to the response against the Mpox epidemic in the Tunda area since July 2022 in several aspects: training of personnel, supply of medicines, materials, biomedical equipment, strengthening of epidemiological surveillance and search for active cases, strengthening of prevention measures for infection control; access to health care and water, hygiene, sanitation, strengthening of diagnostic means by a modern laboratory on site, community awareness as well as clinical research.
LOCATION OF MISSION: TUNDA – Democratic Republic of Congo
PROTECTION OF BENEFICIARIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Level 3: As part of their duties, the position holder will be required to visit programs and be in contact with children and/or vulnerable adults. Therefore, a criminal record check or presentation of a certificate of good conduct will be necessary. In situations where it is impossible to provide a criminal record or a certificate of good conduct, a sworn declaration will be requested.
FUNCTIONAL AND HIERARCHICAL LINKS
You work under the supervision of the project coordinator based in Kindu for aspects related to security management, partnership, steering and strategic management of the project.
You supervise the research team based in Tunda.
You collaborate with the International ALIMA research team.
You collaborate with the coordination (medical, logistics, finance and Human Resources), the national health authorities responsible for the response, as well as the other partners of PALM 007 in Tunda
MAIN MISSION
Under the supervision of the Head of Mission, you are responsible for coordinating the implementation and smooth running of the research/documentation until its completion in collaboration with the entire operational team and with the PALM consortium team. 007. You are responsible for supervising teams and monitoring indicators linked to research activities in Tunda.
In collaboration with the country coordination, you are responsible for the capitalization report on research and treatment activities in response to the MonkeyPox epidemic in Maniema. This component being a transversal activity, you will have to work in collaboration with all departments in order to gather all the information useful for drafting this capitalization report.
MAIN ACTIVITIES
- Safety analysis and management in collaboration with CP Kindu
- Implementation of the research project
- Project management and monitoring
- Project diagnosis and design
- Implementation and operational monitoring
- Data analysis and reporting
- Project Human Resources Management
- Represent ALIMA in its area of intervention
- Abuse prevention
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
You have scientific knowledge in the field of health and experience in research projects, you are rigorous and understand the issues of ethics in research. You have successful experience within a medical NGO in project management and supervision of a multicultural team. You demonstrate strong negotiation skills and are capable of developing and maintaining an effective network. You know how to operate in degraded security and/or emergency contexts (epidemic management).
In-depth knowledge of humanitarian donors is an asset. You are comfortable with IT tools (word, excel and internet). You encourage teamwork, are problem-solving oriented and communicate easily.
LANGUAGES
Good command of French (read, written, spoken) essential
Fluency in a local language is an asset
TERMS
Type of contract : Fixed-term contract under French law with possibility of renewal
Contract duration : 6 months renewable
Position location : Tunda, DRC
Taking position : ASAP
Salary: According to ALIMA salary scale + valuation of experience + Per diem
ALIMA supports:
- Travel costs between the expatriate’s country of origin and the place of mission
- Accommodation costs
- Medical coverage from the first day of contract to one month after the date of departure from the country of mission for the employee and his dependents
- Evacuation for the employee and his dependents.
How to apply
To apply, please send your CV and Cover Letter online
Applications are processed in order of arrival. ALIMA reserves the right to close the offer before the deadline initially indicated if an application is accepted. Only complete applications (CV in PDF format + Cover Letter) will be considered.
Female candidates are strongly encouraged.
