Job Title:   Health Assistant 

Organisation: International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Duty Station: Palabek Kal, Uganda

About Organisation:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities which support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities. At work today in over 40 countries and 25 U.S. cities, we improve outcomes in the areas of health, safety, economic wellbeing, education, and power.

Job Summary: Under the supervision of the Community Health Officer, the Health Assistant will be responsible for hygiene and sanitation at the Health Unit and the Community. He/she will be expected to work within the health facility, health posts, and community in the IRC-supported health facilities’ catchment population and collaborate with the integrated community health program to implement health activities. She/he will spend approximately 80% of his/her time in the field, both at the health facility, health posts, and in the community. The main purpose is to prevent and control the spread of diseases in the community.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Community-based service delivery & health promotion

• • Plan and implement outreach activities in immunization, antenatal care (ANC), family planning, male involvement, TB/HIV follow-up, and SRH services.
  • Conduct health education sessions targeting hygiene, WASH, child health, nutrition, and non-communicable diseases.
  • Supervise Village Health Teams (VHTs), supporting CLTS, sanitation campaigns, and community sensitization.

Hygiene, sanitation & WASH implementation

• Enforce the public health act, health regulations, and byelaws.
• Lead CLTS triggering and follow-up in villages to eradicate open defecation.
• Ensure health facility and community sanitation, hygiene, waste management, and drainage systems meet MoH standards, especially during National Sanitation Week.
• Collect and analyze sanitation and hygiene coverage data quarterly.
• Immunization & campaign planning
• Develop and implement immunization schedules per MoH calendars and support mass vaccination campaigns.
• Facilitate VHTs in defaulter tracing for immunization.

Community surveillance & disease control

• • Support TB/HIV/Malaria follow-up, supervise community-based DOTs.
  • Collaborate with emergency preparedness teams to report and manage outbreaks.
  • Enforce community health surveillance, timely reporting, and referral coordination.

Planning, monitoring, reporting & data quality

• Support VHTs in submitting monthly eCHIS, reports , submit disease surveillance, immunization, and sanitation reports to the CHO.
• Provide timely community activity updates for program performance and donor reporting.
• Assist in quarterly and annual work planning; compile donor activity documentation.
• Promote digital literacy among VHTs for accurate data capture and HMIS adherence.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Must have a Certificate in Environmental Health Science or its equivalent from a recognized institution. A public health qualification at certificate/diploma/degree level is an added advantage.
• Must be registered and licensed with the Allied Health Professionals Council.
• Quality environmental sanitation
• Plans allocation of staff, funds and facilities to deliver on expected outputs;
• Able to define and attain targets within set timeframes
• Able to appreciate and support change initiatives.
• Enforcement of procedures that promote quality and standard health service delivery
• Communicates effectively by giving clear, concise and accurate information; and
• Results oriented with ability to assist the unit achieve its overall objectives.
• Prior experience in a humanitarian setting is an asset.
• Valid driver’s license with classes “A1, A”