Technical Mentors in Blood Transfusion - www.afsbt-kenya.org

Technical Mentors in Blood Transfusion (Eldoret, Embu, Kisumu, Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru)

The Africa Society for Blood Transfusion Kenya (AfSBTK) seeks the services of 6 part time Technical Mentors in Blood Transfusion to provide technical assistance at the National Blood Transfusion Services Ministry of Medical Services (MOMS),

The mentors will work under the overall l leadership of the AfSBTK Director and CHF Blood Safety Program Director to facilitate technical mentorship in blood transfusion at 6 Regional Blood Transfusion Centers and 9 Satellites. The technical scope of mentorship entails providing guidance on infrastructure, blood collection, blood donor services, testing for TTIs, component preparation, distribution of blood and blood products and processing.

The ideal candidates will possess a Bachelor of Science degree in any medical field or its equivalent, specialization in haematology or blood transfusion medicine is preferred; Have a minimum of 5 years demonstrated experience in blood transfusion or related discipline preferably both technical and clinical; Be able to respond to strict working schedules and reports deadlines requirements; Demonstrate ability to work effectively with minimal supervision and meet deliverables on time; Possess excellent writing, communication and facilitation skills; Possess basic computer skills, and, be willing to travel to and within project sites.

Position Title: - Technical Mentor

Reports To: - AfSBTK Director and CHF Blood Safety Program Director

Location: - Nairobi, Kenya with frequent travel tthe field including Nairobi, Machakos, Voi, Mombasa, Garissa, Nakuru, Naivasha, Kericho, Eldoret, Kisii, Kakamega, Nyeri, Embu, Meru, Kisumu and Eldoret

Job Summary: -

The technical mentor has the overall responsibility of providing expert advice and guidance, technical assistance, on job training that will ensure technical strengthening of Regional Blood Transfusion Services (RBTCs) and Satellites. These roles will be implemented under the auspices of the Blood Safety Technical Assistance Program whose goal is tensure the provision of safe and sufficient blood supply thealth facilities in Kenya. The Technical Mentors report directly tthe AfSBTK Director and CHF Blood Safety Program Director.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: -

• Maintain strict confidentiality of all privileged information regarding both human resources and fiscal matters of the program;
• Provide on job training for various cadre of health care professionals working in RBTCs and Satellites in blood safety and transfusion aspects;
• Develop and achieve long term goals for learning, skills transfer and performance of the mentees;
• Provide early intervention and supportive mentorship;
• Report writing;
• Providing and interpreting national and international policies, guidelines and SOPs related to transfusion medicine;
• Provide senior level technical support and guidance tthe AfSBTK Director and CHF Blood Safety Program Director on technical implementation issues at RBTCs and Satellites;
• Stay abreast with current trends and developments in Blood Transfusion Medicine for program improvement.

Specific Technical Duties and Responsibilities: -

1. Infrastructure

• Give expert guidance in the acquisition of blood collection, testing, processing and storage equipment
• Ensure the maintenance of all equipment at the RBTC and Satellites at optimum levels tensure quality in line with national and international standards
• Ensure record keeping for equipment maintenance and/or preventive maintenance
• Ensure timely requisition, procurement and dispatch of quality laboratory reagents and supplies
• Support the implementation and maintenance of BECS tensure hemovigilance, enhance communication of results and information between KNBTS, RBTCs, Satellites and Transfusing hospitals
• Enhance quality control systems at RBTCs and Satellites
• Provide guidance texisting infrastructural facilities for storage and transportation of blood and blood components as per requisite norms
• Reinforce national protocols for storage, distribution and transportation of blood components
• Inspect the existing blood storage cabinets and transportation facilities in relation to availability of backup, maintenance, calibration and validation
• Guide RBTCs and Satellites tmaintain an effective storage distribution and transportation of various types of blood and blood components
• Support the RBTC and Satellites tinstitute proper and effective record keeping of blood and blood components distribution and transportation
• Provide on-job-training on blood storage and proper cold chain maintenance

2. Donor Mobilization and Recruitment

• Conduct on job training and mentorship of blood donor recruiters
• Assist in rolling out a system tidentify a network of low risk VNRDs for retention/ recall
• Guide RBTCs and collecting Satellites tmanage donor information exhaustively and appropriately (keeping up tdate required registers)
• Support RBTCs and collecting Satellites timplement effective quality assurance procedures recruitment of healthy and safe blood donors
• Review data base of recruitment of VNRDs

3. Donor Services

• Provide guidance texisting infrastructural facilities of the blood collection areas as per requisite norms,
• Review the existing practices in donor selection and blood collection
• Provide guidance in the practices employed in donor selection and blood collection
• Review existing practices in donor care and management of adverse events
• Provide guidance in the practices employed in donor care and management of adverse events following blood donation
• Review donor deferral register and steps taken tdefer and refer high risk donors for appropriate care and treatment
• Inspect the existing equipment in the blood collection area in relation tavailability of backup,maintenance, calibration and validation
• Provide on job training and mentorship of donor room staff and donor counsellors
• Guide RBTCs tmanage donor information exhaustively and appropriately (keep all the required registers)
• Support RBTCs timplement effective quality assurance procedures in blood collection and donor care
• Advice on the procedure for donor notification of results and referral for individuals found thave reactive results tappropriate care and treatment
• Observation of bisafety measures adapted at the blood collection centre
• Guide on segregation, containment and disposal of bimedical waste generated in the blood collection centre

4. Testing

• Reinforce national and site specific protocols for TTI testing, blood grouping and immunoheamatology
• Give technical guidance in the selection and evaluation of appropriate screening assays for TTI testing, blood grouping and cross match
• Ensure effective quality assurance and good record keeping for screening blood
• Guide RBTCs in enrolling in EQAS as well as in achieving accreditation standards
• Provide guidance texisting infrastructural facilities for testing laboratories as per requisite norms
• Inspect the existing equipment in the testing laboratories in relation tavailability of backup, maintenance, calibration and validation
• Provide on-job-training on TTI testing, blood group serology and quality control
• Advice on bisafety measures adapted at the blood testing laboratories
• Advice on and ensure segregation, containment and disposal of bimedical waste generated in the blood testing laboratories

5. Component preparation

• Enhance preparation of blood components through on job training and mentorship
• Provide on-job-training on preparation storage and quality control of blood components
• Provide guidance texisting infrastructural facilities for component laboratory as per requisite norms
• Reinforce national protocols for preparation of blood components
• Inspect the existing equipment in the component laboratory in relation tavailability of backup, maintenance, calibration and validation
• Guide RBTC tenhance the processing of blood units tvarious types of blood components
• Support the RBTC tinstitute proper and effective record keeping of blood components
• Advise on bisafety measures for the component laboratory
• Advise on and ensure segregation, containment and disposal of bimedical waste generated in the blood component laboratories

6. Utilization of blood and blood products

• Support RBTCs and Satellites tdisseminate guidelines and information on appropriate use of blood and blood products regionally
• Support RBTCs and Satellites treview utilization of blood and blood products in order tprovide required technical guidance tuser hospitals
• Support the development of detailed description of components usage for use by RBTCs and Satellites when providing guidance thealth care workers

7. BiSafety and medical waste management

• Guide RBTC and Satellites tensure adoption of bio-safety level II
• Guide the RBTC and Satellites on proper segregation of biomedical waste and its disposal with effective record keeping
• Review and advice on any documented bisafety hazards occurred and preventive steps taken
• Conduct on the job training for staff on bio-safety and health care waste management

8. Training and Capacity Building

• Support the development of new and/or review of existing training materials for blood safety
• Support technical human capacity development through training and continuing education for health care professionals involved in blood transfusion services in various specialized technical areas (at RBTCs and Satellites)
• Help the Program tidentify and network with regional and/or international training facilities toffer specialized training in blood transfusion medicine for KNBTS staff
• Support the development of training needs assessments tools and tailored training plans for RBTCs and Satellites

9. Monitoring and Evaluation

• Support centres tdevelop and institute M&E systems
• Support RBTCs timplement a system for reviewing and adjusting program activities based on monitoring information including using routine information tassess the impact of their activities
• Assist in the institutionalization of the national hemovigilance system

The duties listed above are not inclusive of all your duties under the Blood Safety Technical Assistance Program. The AfSBTK Director and CHF Blood Safety Program Director reserve the right tchange and update position descriptions at any time.

Qualifications: -

• Bachelor of Science degree in any medical field or its equivalent, specialization in haematology or blood transfusion medicine is preferred;
• Minimum of 5 years demonstrated experience in blood transfusion or related discipline preferably both technical and clinical;
• Able trespond tstrict working schedules and reports deadlines requirements;
• Demonstrate ability twork effectively with minimal supervision and meet deliverables on time;
• Possess excellent writing, communication and facilitation skills;
• Possess basic computer skills,
• Be willing ttravel tand within project sites.

Language Skills: -

• English fluency required, including written and spoken English.
• Effective use of written and spoken Kiswahili.
• Able tread and interpret documents, and communicate with others as necessary to perform job duties effectively.

Mathematical Skills: -

• Advance skills and able tperform job specific mathematics.

Working Conditions: -

• 1 mentor will support facilities based in Nairobi, Machakos and Garissa
• 1 mentor will support facilities based in Nakuru, Naivasha and Kericho
• I mentor will support facilities based in Kisumu, Kakamega and Kisii
• 1 mentor will support facilities based in Mombasa and Voi
• I mentor will support facilities based in Embu, Meru and Nyeri
• 1 mentor will support a facility based in Eldoret
• Weekend work sometimes required;
• Able tsit at a computer and operate a keyboard, for extended periods of time

Please Note: - 

That this is a part time position that will require monthly joint meetings of all mentors, periodic centralised technical training events and on site mentorship according tan established calendar.

How to Apply: -

Email your application including a cover letter indicating expected consultancy fees per day, detailed CV with three referees and copies of educational certificates to info@afsbt-kenya.org. Applications can also be hand delivered at our offices. All applications should be addressed to:

The Director

Africa Society for Blood Transfusion Kenya

P.O Box 2584 - 00202,

Nairobi - Kenya

Physical Address: - Navigatrs Kenya Complex Second floor Block D, Kindaruma Rd off Ngong Road