Akros Research is supporting a program, funded by the Mastercard Foundation and in partnership with the Africa CDC, to increase vaccine uptake in Africa. This initiative, called Saving Lives and Livelihoods, includes multiple components and partners working to procure, distribute, and promote vaccine uptake in a safe manner.  As a part of this consortium Akros Research will support Africa Union member states in the Eastern and Southern African regions to strengthen vaccine safety surveillance systems.

The Drug Safety Surveillance Officer will support the Ministry of Health, National Drug Authority and the assigned Regional Referral Hospital, to conduct active adverse event reporting.

Specific Responsibilities

1. Proactively engage in vaccination activities and implement innovative approaches to screen, detect, assess, actively follow up with phone calls of individuals that receive vaccines for any suspected adverse drug events
2. Receive calls through the toll-free portal and log them into appropriate adverse event reporting forms
3. Monitor and coordinate data entry of any suspected adverse events from vaccinations received, into the national electronic databases
4. Analyze and interpret clients drug safety concerns and provide professional guidance as may be appropriate
5. Follow up safety concerns from call centres including MOH call centre and make appropriate referrals and linkages to clinical care
6. Communicate effectively on Saving Lives and Livelihoods through proactive monitoring and reporting of adverse events following immunization
7. Proactively follow on AEFI cases reported through the weekly DHIS2 and follow up with district surveillance focal persons for case reporting and resolution
8. Prepare and share weekly status updates, monthly, quarterly, semiannual and annual reports on status and activity implementation
9. Any other duties that may be assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy or MBChB preferred or any relevant field in medicine
• 2-5 years of progressive experience working with program management
• Strong experience working with Government’s Ministries of Health, regulatory authority, donors, and sub-national structures and managing emergency responses
• Previous experience with project and organizational representation to the Ministry of Health at national or subnational levels is an added advantage.
• Previous experience with pharmacovigilance activities is an added advantage.

Skills

• Strong track record in managing activities to strengthen implementation studies with limited resources
• Good written and oral communication skills
• The ability to promote active drug safety surveillance and reporting
• Broad public health understanding of vaccine active safety surveillance
• Demonstrated appreciation of the issues associated with developing individual excellence, capacity and leadership in implementation studies in developing countries
• Excellent technical writing, quantitative and critical thinking skills
• Excellent computer skills with fluency in Excel, Word, PowerPoint
• Excellent interpersonal skills, organizational skills and ability to work independently and flexibly

Competencies

• Teamwork
• Producing results
• Integrity
• Innovation

Location and Term

This position is contingent upon securing and maintaining program funding. It is also contingent upon donor approval.

This position is for 12 months and will be based in selected hospitals.  The position is open to local candidates and may involve minimal travel.

Reporting

This position will report directly to the Akros Country Manager, with a dotted reporting line to the Extended program of immunization (MOH) and the National drug authority.