Doctors Without Borders/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is an international medical and humanitarian association founded in 1971 that provides medical assistance to communities facing crises that threaten their survival. These crises usually take the form of armed conflict, but also include epidemics, natural disasters and exclusion from health care. MSF is present in some seventy countries around the world.
Assignment
Background
MSF ran a care project for Ebola survivors following the large Ebola outbreak in Liberia and other West African countries. This program included mental health care services to meet the high level of mental health needs related to the outbreak of haemorrhagic fever but also due to the protracted conflict that has plagued Liberia for nearly two decades with a high level of violence (large number of atrocities and 250,000 deaths in a country which then had 3.5 million inhabitants). Skilled mental health care is largely unavailable in Liberia. There is a national psychiatric hospital with 70 beds (ES Grant Hospital) which works with great difficulty. There is a part-time Liberian psychiatrist.
At the end of 2016, the decision was made to close the Ebola survivor care project and assess the mental health needs in the country with the idea of starting to offer mental health services. The assessment led to the opening of a mental health (MH) project in Monrovia: MHgap. Although epilepsy is not a mental health problem, it is considered as such (or as a spiritual wickedness and/or contagious disease) and widely prevalent in Liberia. The program will position itself on this pathology and will try to resituate it as a health issue while offering care to patients identified with such symptoms. The program aims to improve access to mental health and epilepsy care services in Montserrado County through diagnosis, treatment, and referral to five Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs). In this context,
MSF is currently looking for: Epilepsy specialist in Liberia
You are responsible for collaborating with clinicians from MSF and the Ministry of Health (MOH) on the integration of epilepsy treatment into the mental health program with basic health care services to ensure treatment appropriate for patients with severe and common seizure disorders.
Main responsibilities:
- Assessment of the situation and implementation of the training plan with the epilepsy focal point
- Train the epilepsy focal point and teams of clinicians
- Examine patients with an erroneous diagnosis of epilepsy, non-epileptic psychogenic seizures. in collaboration with the psychologist and the psychiatrist, support the clinicians and PSW to ensure better care for these patients
- Participation in a medical meeting/case discussion
- Technical assistance including case discussion, use of telemedicine/consultant
- On call for emergency patients and referrals
- Finalize patient record forms (initial assessment and follow-up form) (if needed)
- Support analysis of MH and EP database and provide feedback on improvements/deviations/gaps.
Professional skills
Education:
- University degree in medicine
- Medical Doctor (MD) specializing in Neurology/Epilepsy Management
Live:
- Strong background in pediatric neurology/epilepsy care
- At least 3 years post-training clinical experience and final clinical experience within 1 year
- Experience working in a low resource setting
- Experience in teaching/coaching/mentoring and team building
- Tropical medicine is an asset
Language: Fluent English
Qualities
- Strategic vision
- Human ressources
- Planning and organization
- Leadership
- Teamwork and cooperation
- Flexibility and teamwork
Specifics of the position
Terms of employment
- Full-time international position based in Monrovia/Liberia.
- 3 month contract
- Salary according to the MSF salary scale and relevant previous experiences
- Start date as soon as possible
Type of Contract
CDD
Doctors Without Borders/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is an international medical and humanitarian association founded in 1971 that provides medical assistance to communities facing crises that threaten their survival. These crises usually take the form of armed conflict, but also include epidemics, natural disasters and exclusion from health care. MSF is present in some seventy countries around the world.
Assignment
Background
MSF ran a care project for Ebola survivors following the large Ebola outbreak in Liberia and other West African countries. This program included mental health care services to meet the high level of mental health needs related to the outbreak of haemorrhagic fever but also due to the protracted conflict that has plagued Liberia for almost two decades with a high level of violence (large number of atrocities and 250,000 deaths in a country which then had 3.5 million inhabitants). Skilled mental health care is largely unavailable in Liberia. There is a national psychiatric hospital with 70 beds (ES Grant Hospital) which works with great difficulty. There is a part-time Liberian psychiatrist.
At the end of 2016, the decision was made to close the Ebola survivor care project and assess the mental health needs in the country with the idea of starting to offer mental health services. The assessment led to the opening of a mental health (MH) project in Monrovia: MHgap. Although epilepsy is not a mental health problem, it is considered as such (or as a spiritual wickedness and/or contagious disease) and widely prevalent in Liberia. The program will position itself on this pathology and will try to resituate it as a health issue while offering care to patients identified with such symptoms. The program aims to improve access to mental health and epilepsy care services in Montserrado County through diagnosis, treatment, and referral to five Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs). In this context,
MSF is currently looking for: Epilepsy specialist in Liberia
You are responsible for collaborating with clinicians from MSF and the Ministry of Health (MOH) on the integration of epilepsy treatment into the mental health program with basic health care services to ensure treatment appropriate for patients with severe and common seizure disorders.
Main responsibilities:
- Assessment of the situation and implementation of the training plan with the epilepsy focal point
- Train the epilepsy focal point and teams of clinicians
- Examine patients with an erroneous diagnosis of epilepsy, non-epileptic psychogenic seizures. in collaboration with the psychologist and the psychiatrist, support the clinicians and PSW to ensure better care for these patients
- Participation in a medical meeting/case discussion
- Technical assistance including case discussion, use of telemedicine/consultant
- On call for emergency patients and referrals
- Finalize patient record forms (initial assessment and follow-up form) (if needed)
- Support analysis of MH and EP database and provide feedback on improvements/deviations/gaps.
Professional skills
Education:
- University degree in medicine
- Medical Doctor (MD) specializing in Neurology/Epilepsy Management
Live:
- Strong background in pediatric neurology/epilepsy management
- At least 3 years post-training clinical experience and final clinical experience within 1 year
- Experience working in a low resource setting
- Experience in teaching/coaching/mentoring and team building
- Tropical medicine is an asset
Language: Fluent English
Qualities
- Strategic view
- Human ressources
- Planning and organization
- Leadership
- Teamwork and cooperation
- Flexibility and teamwork
Specifics of the position
Terms of employment
- Full-time international position based in Monrovia/Liberia.
- 3 month contract
- Salary according to the MSF salary scale and relevant previous experiences
- Start date as soon as possible
Type of Contract
Fixed-term contract
Contract duration
3 months
Salary
Salary according to the MSF salary scale and relevant previous experiences
3 months
Salary
Salary according to the MSF salary scale and relevant previous experiences
How to register
Please apply at https://www.msf.fr/en/get-involved/work-with-us/all-employment-opportunities/epilepsy-specialist-liberia-hf
