Malaria Operational Research Study Coordinator , Tanzania

Overview:

For decades, most fevers in Africa have been treated as malaria, and international guidelines, national policy and treatment interventions have all assisted in institutionalizing this practice. Today, however, scale-up of malaria control efforts has in many places resulted in significant reductions of malaria morbidity and mortality rates. The age-old practice of equating fever with malaria is no longer appropriate, as on average, over 60% of clinically diagnosed malaria is not malaria. Those other fevers are often caused by treatable yet potentially lethal diseases that, with the continued over-diagnosis of malaria, remain untreated. An important first step to reversing the trend of overtreatment is to consistently test febrile cases with a microscopy blood slide or Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT). In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) changed its guidelines to emphasize that all suspected malaria cases should be confirmed prior to treatment. RDTs have attracted interest in recent years because of their high sensitivity, specificity, and simplicity for use in resource-poor settings. They are seen as a way to address the gap in confirmatory diagnosis by extending parasitological diagnosis of malaria to areas without access to microscopy. A number of organizations, including the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), are providing support to the public sector, but the private sector remains insufficiently addressed. Recent studies from six African countries found that often, less than 10% of children with febrile illness received a malaria blood test in the private sector prior to treatment. Before diagnostics can be fully scaled-up in the private sector, several critical operational questions need to be answered. In order to answer some of these questions, CHAI will test whether it is possible to achieve uptake of diagnostics in the private sector with a combination of lower-cost RDTs and minimal supporting interventions. The initial pilot will take place in Tanzania. CHAI is currently seeking a highly motivated, entrepreneurial individual with outstanding problem-solving, managerial, organizational, analytical, and communication skills to support the implementation of a baseline assessment, which will measure availability and use of diagnostic tests in private sector outlets in Tanzania. Additionally, the Study Coordinator will be responsible for research-related project activities, including Focus Group Discussions and rapid assessments. S/he will be based out of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania with frequent and extended travel to the field. The position will start in August for a period of five-months.

Responsibilities:

Help with the development of survey tools, data collection protocols and training materials for data enumerators Coordinate pre-survey logistics Support the contracted data collection contractor and field manager to with training and data collection activities Manage data collection protocols Develop and oversee data management processes Conduct quality control of data as it comes in from the field Participate in data analysis activities Liaise with government partners and other stakeholders in the malaria community Write regular project updates Help with other dissemination tasks as needed

Qualifications:

Experience in social science field research Excellent management and organizational skills Excellent writing and communication skills Exceptional attention to detail Willingness to travel frequently and to do field work Ability and willingness to work effectively in cross-cultural environments Flexibility, self-motivation, and an ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently Demonstrated ability to work successfully with diverse constituencies and to work independently Advantages: Advanced degree in economics, public health, public policy, social sciences, or related fields Experience working in rural settings for extended periods of time Familiarity with randomized evaluations preferred Experience with survey implementation strongly preferred Experience in and knowledge of Africa Knowledge of STATA or similar programs

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