Consultant (lead Exposure And Poison Project)

Organizational Context

The World Health Organization (WHO) in Ethiopia is addressing the significant public health concern of lead exposure. This role supports the Ministry of Health in strengthening clinical management, enhancing poisons centers, and ensuring access to antidotes, aligning with global initiatives to eliminate lead poisoning.

Job Purpose

This consultancy aims to provide crucial technical support to Ethiopia's Ministry of Health to combat lead poisoning. The role focuses on enhancing national and subnational clinical management of lead exposure, strengthening the capacity of poisons centers for surveillance and case management, and improving the procurement and accessibility of essential antidotes and chelators. The objective is to build a more robust national response system to mitigate the health impacts of lead exposure, particularly in vulnerable populations.

Responsibilities

The consultant will lead efforts to strengthen clinical management of lead exposure by reviewing and updating national guidelines, developing training modules for clinicians, and providing technical advice on integrating lead management into healthcare systems. Responsibilities also include assessing and enhancing the capacity of poisons centers through SOP development, staff training, and network establishment. Furthermore, the consultant will map current antidote availability, provide guidance on procurement and stockpiling strategies, and develop a national supply plan, supporting advocacy for essential medicine inclusion.

Work Experience

Essential: Minimum of 5 years of experience as a medical doctor in healthcare facilities, clinical toxicology, poisons center operations, or health emergencies. Proven experience in developing guidelines and training packages, and in health systems strengthening. Desirable: Experience with ministries of health, WHO, or international organizations; direct involvement in essential medicine procurement; familiarity with WHO frameworks and toxicology networks.

Skills

Strong communication and report-writing skills; ability to develop clinical management guidelines, training modules, and SOPs; technical expertise in toxicology and clinical management of lead exposure; capacity to conduct training workshops and facilitate stakeholder engagement; skills in advocacy; experience in establishing/strengthening national networks; knowledge of procurement and stockpiling strategies; excellent MS Office skills.

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