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Qualifications

Purpose of the Position

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant health threat particularly in resource-limited settings, where effective microbiological services and reserve category antibiotics may be unavailable.  Until capacity for continuous antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance is stablished, the AMR division at WHO recommends the implementation of periodic national surveys of prevalence, health and economic burden of AMR, to help strengthen capacity in countries where surveillance systems are still nascent, and to accelerate the availability of quality assured representative AMR data that can inform national and global policy and action. Malawi is among the first countries to implement this type of survey, which focuses on estimating AMR in human bloodstream infections, in individuals seeking acute hospital inpatient care. 

Objectives of the Programme and of the immediate unit or field activity (Overview of the programme):

The overall objective is to ensure that quality data is entered into electronic data base for further data management throughout the data collection period during the implementation of the Bloodstream Infectious Prevalence Survey. This should be in accordance with pre-defined scientific and quality standards, and in close collaboration with the Malawi Ministry of Health (MoH), WHO, clinical and laboratory personnel and topic experts.

Organizational Context (Describe the work environment, the role of the individual within the team – team member, specialist, adviser, facilitator, coordinator/manager, representative, expert, authority in the field, etc.; available guidelines and degree of independence in decision making, and nature and purpose of contact within and outside the Organization):

Three full-time data entry clerks are needed for the daily survey data review, entry, and management. The data entry clerks will be responsible for ensuring timeliness, completeness and accuracy of paper-based data being received, follow up on any missing or data error, ambiguity, and observed outliers to ensure that only complete and accurate data is entered into the electronic data base for further management. They will also be responsible for timely provision of feedback and mentorship/retraining to new clinical or laboratory staff on aspects related to quality data collection and documentation.

Summary of assigned duties (Describe what the incumbent has to do to achieve main objectives; include main achievements expected):

Under the supervision of a National Survey Coordinator responsible for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in collaboration with the principal investigator/s, the roles of the data entry clerks are to:

1.       Review paper-based data collection forms for the survey, ensuring accuracy and completeness

2.       Follow-up with hospitals and laboratories, on missing data, data errors and queries, to ensure that correct and complete observations are recorded in paper forms and survey logs

3.       Provide refreshment training, and contribute to induction of new clinical and laboratory staff, on aspects related to data capture, including appropriate completion, management and archiving of paper-based survey forms

4.       Ensure that patients enrolled in the survey, as well as survey samples and isolates, are adequately identified (for example using survey IDs) and ensure adequate tracking systems are in place for all relevant items (for example, survey forms, samples, and isolates).

5.       Enter survey records in the electronic database, and cross-check agreement between electronic and paper records regularly

6.       Ensure that management of data for the survey adheres to good data management and confidentiality principles, and institute good housekeeping of survey forms and logs.

7.       Perform other relevant tasks to facilitate data quality and progress of data collection, as indicated by the survey epidemiologist and the survey coordinator.

Qualifications, experience, skills, and languages

Education (Qualifications):

Essential: Diploma in IT or related qualifications.

Desirable: Training in data entry and management

Experience:

Essential: At least two years of experience in IT, data entry and management.

Desirable: Work experience in any research or project.

Languages:

Essential: Excellent knowledge of the English 

Other Skills (e.g. IT):

·         Excellent oral and written communication skills

·         Excellent in Microsoft office package and data entry platforms

·         Excellent in IT skills

Functional Skills/Knowledge

·         Experience in data collection, entry and management.

WHO Competencies

1)      Communicating in a credible and effective way

2)      Producing results

3)      Fostering integration and teamwork

4)      Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

Additional information

·     WHO has zero-tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

·         WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

·         The selected candidates will be contacted to provide certified documents.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements