Lao People's Democratic Republic (the): Technical Advisor in Laos

1.CONTEXT :

The Mérieux Foundation, an independent family foundation with public interest status, is committed to fighting, in the field, the infectious diseases that affect developing countries by building capacities, particularly in clinical laboratories.

In order to accomplish this mission, the Foundation developed 4 axis strategies which are:

Axis 1 : Increase vulnerable populations’ access to diagnostics by strengthening clinical laboratories in national healthcare systems.

Axis 2 : Enhance local applied research capabilities by training researchers, developing collaborative programs and creating Rodolphe Mérieux Laboratories, transferred to local partners.

Axis 3 : Encourage knowledge-sharing and public health initiatives leveraging Les Pensières Center for Global Health.

Axis 4 : Local partnership to support mother and children in a global health approach.

The Mérieux Foundation has been working in Laos since December 2006, date of the signing of a partnership agreement with the Ministry of Health for the construction of the Christophe Mérieux Infectiology Center in Laos (CILM). It was inaugurated in 2009 as a place for scientific exchange and knowledge sharing. This Centre is now integrated within the public health structure of Laos, under the supervision of the Ministry of Health. The Mérieux Foundation continues to provide support for the development of CICML's scientific and medical activities. The centre is devoted to infectious diseases testing and research as well as a knowledge sharing though its fully equipped conference room. The centre includes a BSL2+ laboratory, a conference room and a research unit. The CILM is the national reference laboratory for the HIV viral load. Since the beginning, the Mérieux Foundation is contributing to improve the quality of the Laboratory. To respect the international standards, CILM started a “quality initiative project”. This project begun 4 years ago and aims to transform the management, the way of working and the organisation of the lab to reach the accreditation to the norm ISO 15189.

The Mérieux Foundation also worked for a number of years to improve healthcare in the Khammouane province, particularly at the Thakhek hospital. This project is named Lab-Kham. Since 2008, the Mérieux Foundation is working in a close collaboration with the Provincial Health Department (PHD) of Khammouane province to reinforce laboratory diagnostic capacity in this province. The project named Lab-Kham, worked to improve the central level of the provincial hospital laboratory. Laboratories were supported in terms of renovation, equipment donation, laboratory networking, training, global quality, hazard management, epidemiology, human resources, and management. The Lab-Kham project approach was to provide a close mentoring of all 10 district hospital laboratories in the Khammouane province. The objective was to support laboratories to be in state, clean, organized and equipped to perform good quality analyses. The project achieved to create a laboratory provincial network through tight collaborations, good communication, and training support over all members. The Khammouane provincial hospital laboratory has now a central role with a strong leadership.

Based on the success of the Lab-Kham project, the Foundation extended the project to other provinces and is now working in Bolikhamxay Province.

2.OBJECTIVE OF THE FUNCTION AND MAIN MISSIONS

The TA will work in the office of the Foundation Mérieux in Lao PDR based in the Center for Infectilogy Lao-Christophe Mérieux in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR. He/She will have to travel very frequently in the provinces and districts of Lao PDR (40% of the time) and occasionally internationally in Asia or in Europe. He/She will be in charge to follow the capacity building projects related to the laboratory on going. The project includes; one central laboratory in Vientiane, 2 provincial hospital laboratories and 16 districts hospital laboratories.

1-Provincial and District laboratory strengthening

He/She will ensure the good conduct of laboratory strengthening activities in Bolikhamxay and Khammouane province in particularly:

• Assess the level of laboratories supported and develop training and companionship plan for provincial and district laboratories in Lao PDR;

• Training the good laboratory practice and biosafety conduct in the laboratories;

• Ensure quality testing in haematology, biochemistry and microbiology;

• Train the good use and maintenance of the laboratories equipment;

• Train on good stock management and ensure the purchase of reagent for the laboratories;

• Train for a good documentation practice and data management in the laboratories;

• Develop SOP and laboratory related technical documents;

• Organize training for laboratory professional.

2-Centre of Infectiology Lao-Christophe Mérieux in Laos strengthening

He/She will support technically the Centre of Infectilogy Lao-Christophe Mérieux (CILM) toward the ISO 15189 accreditation. He/She will support technically the CILM to monitor the maintenance of the facility and laboratory. He/She will work in direct line with the project manager related to each of the projects and with the country/region manager. He/She will follow the rules and the standards of CILM as well as the one of Foundation Mérieux.

He/She will have to ensure the good collaboration with the local authorities and follow the local costume and regulations. He/She will be requested from the management chain to share his/her expertise on other projects.

3-EXPERIENCE AND DIPLOMAS :

· Professional form the laboratory (technologist or biologist).

· 10 years of experience in clinical laboratories.

· Experience in trainings and companionship in the laboratory field.

· Experience in maintenance and stock management.

· Experience in quality implementation and management.

· Experience with data management and LIS systems.

· Master Pack office software.

· Languages : Fluent english, understanding Lao is a need and understanding French is an asset.

· Interest for development projects, experience with international organization will be an added value.

Send you application including resume and motivation letter until the 31 January 2019 to: recruitment.asie.fmx@gmail.com.