Medair is an international humanitarian organization established in 1988. Medair has been operating in Afghanistan since 1996 with programs mainly in the Health, Water & Sanitation, and Livelihoods sectors with significant reconstruction activities in remote areas. Current projects are Water & Sanitation, Food Security, & Disaster Risk Reduction.

An Integrated Emergency Response: Medair aims to respond to high levels of food insecurity, malnutrition, and morbidity in Tirinkot district.  The project intends to improve and extend WASH services including water supply infrastructure and hygiene practices to improve outcomes for vulnerable families.

An Integrated Emergency Response: Medair aims to respond to high levels of food insecurity, malnutrition, and morbidity in Uruzgan, which has been significantly affected by drought and conflict conditions. Building upon Medair’s decades of experience in the Central Highlands and Kandahar, the project intends to improve and extend the utilization of lifesaving preventive and curative nutrition and health services by mothers, PLWs, and children U5; to increase access to clean water, to reduce vulnerability to water-related and other preventable diseases, and to improve and increase food security for the most vulnerable families through food voucher distributions.

Overall purpose:

To be a member of a Health & Nutrition team providing integrated health & nutrition services to targeted communities. The Nutrition Nurse will deliver appropriate treatment for malnourished children under 5 years and pregnant and lactating women (PLWs) following National IMAM, and IYCF guidelines.  The Nutrition Nurse is responsible for taking history, conducting physical examination of children under 5 years, identifying PLW and care takers who require Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) counselling and making appropriate referrals. The Nutrition Nurse provides treatment and/or refer beneficiaries in the nutrition program, provide nutrition, health, hygiene education and IYCF counselling to PLWs and care takers of children. Nutrition Nurse is required to assist the Health Assistant on screening children under 5 years and PLW using MUAC tape, weight and Height following National IMAM, IMIYCN, MNCI and IYCF guidelines and record keeping amongst other activities.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. To work as part of a mobile nutrition team covering multiple sites
2. To accurately and appropriately treat or refer beneficiaries in the nutrition program by adhering to national and international guidelines and organisational procedures
3. To provide nutrition, health, hygiene education and IYCF counselling to pregnant and lactating women and care takers of children
4. To ensure accurate record keeping of all activities, following the provided data collection templates
5. To ensure safe storage and handling of the stock (food products, medicines, equipment)
6. To ensure appropriate History taking and physical examination of children under 5 years and pregnant and lactation women.
7. To ensure safe storage and handling of the stock
8. Any other activities not listed in the JD but requested by Line manager and Nutrition supervisor
9. Ability to work in both locations of the Spin Boldak districts even in other districts and provinces.

Technical:

• Assist the Health Assistant with the screening of children under 5 and PLWs whenever there is a high need.
• Admit beneficiaries to OPD SAM or MAM according to admission criteria and national guidelines
• Conduct appetite test and support care takers in feeding the children
• Conduct physical examination and history taking of admitted children and pregnant and lactating women and provide appropriate nutritional and medical treatment following National IMAM guidelines
• Examine admitted children for any signs of co-existing illnesses and provide appropriate nutritional and medical treatment or referral according to IMNCI guidelines
• Identify caretakers of children under 5 year and pregnant and lactating women who need psychosocial support, using validated screening scales and to refer it to MHPSS team
• Identify pregnant and lactating women and care takers that require Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) and other nutrition or health counselling and provide this support to them
• Give appropriate nutrition, health and hygiene education to the beneficiaries and care takers in individual and group sessions
• With the approval of the Health & Nutrition Supervisor refer children with severe or moderate acute malnutrition and medical complications to the nearest IPD SAM or paediatric inpatient facility
• Discharge children and pregnant and lactating women according to specified discharge criteria and national protocol and guidelines.
• In collaboration with the Nutrition Supervisor provide support to the community-based Nutrition Extension Workers (NEW) and liaise before and after each site visit to identify beneficiaries that need follow up (absentees, defaulters, non-responders)

Quality Management:

• Ensure adherence to the provided internal and external protocols and guidelines
• Ensure accurate record keeping of all nutrition activities, filling in forms, cards, registration books and tally sheets as required
• Compile reports as required and requested by Health and Nutrition supervisor
• Conduct on the Job training to Health assistant and NEWs based on need.

Logistics:

• Ensure safe storage of all supplies, medicines and medical material and equipment
• Ensure accurate record keeping of stock movements
• Assist the Health and Nutrition Supervisor in preparing stock requests

Education: Minimum 2 Years Diploma of nursing or midwifery, Bechelor’s or Masters’ Degree Preferred.

Relevant experience

• Minimum 3 years relevant post graduate experience required in nursing, or Midwifery.
• Nutrition training/experience (ie. IMAM & IYCF trainings or equivalent).
• IYCF counselling experience.
• MIYCN training.
• IMNCI training.
• Psychosocial support counselling skills or experience.
• Experience in working in the remote areas with mobile team setup.

Languages: Some English -oral and written skills and good Pashto -oral and written skills is required.

Computer: Working knowledge in MS word and excel.

Other skills:

• Ability to work in a team and coordinate tasks and responsibilities.
• Ability to organize people in an orderly way and prioritize tasks.
• Good listening and counselling skills, patient, and kind attitude.
• Highly motivated to provide high quality services to beneficiaries of poor communities in a challenging setting.
• Good problem-solving skills with a solution-oriented attitude.
• Flexible and willing to perform other tasks as required.
• Respectful and kind with other staff, beneficiaries, and communities.
• Willingness to travel, work and live in a rural setting, and to behave in a manner appropriate to a conservative culture.
• Willingness to learn and develop further.
• Honest in dealing with beneficiaries and Medair staff.

Interested applicants should apply and forward their applications through the online JOB APPLICATION FORM which can be found under the submission email. The link should be copied, pasted, and opened on a new page.

Note: Please indicate the position title and vacancy number in your application letter. Applications received after the closing date or without the exact position title and vacancy number will not be given consideration. After submitting the online application, if some applicants do not immediately receive an automatic email from Medair, they shouldn't worry about their submission. When you open the link. please use the dropdown menu and choose the title of the position.

Note 2: (Female Applicants Only), she and her Mahram must be living in the work location and be able to work in Kandahari Chawk village.