Gynecologist Specialist

Over the past few years, Afghanistan has witnessed a relative improvement in security and stability across much of the country. This has allowed humanitarian actors like INTERSOS to maintain uninterrupted access and expand services in areas that were previously hard to reach. Despite this progress, the humanitarian situation remains critical, with millions of Afghans continuing to face acute vulnerabilities due to prolonged economic hardship, natural disasters, and limited access to essential services.

In 2025, more than half of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance, with food insecurity, child malnutrition, and displacement remaining key concerns. Natural disasters, such as floods and recent earthquakes, have further compounded the needs of already struggling communities.

INTERSOS continues to operate through a community-based approach with field bases in Kabul, Kandahar, and Zabul, delivering primary healthcare, nutrition, and protection services with a focus on women, children, and persons with disabilities. The organization enjoys strong community acceptance and collaborates closely with relevant national authorities, including maintaining the full participation of female staff in all activities.

While the operational environment is largely stable and conducive, funding shortfalls and systemic barriers such as restrictions on financial flows and administrative bottlenecks continue to impact the scope and scale of humanitarian response. Sustained support is crucial to ensure the continuity of life-saving services and to address the urgent needs of Afghanistan’s most vulnerable populations.

Provide obstetrical care to pregnant women and their babies, doing follow up before, during and after delivery, according to INTERSOS obstetrical and reproductive health protocols, universal hygienic and newborn caring standards, in order to ensure their health conditions and avoid post-delivery complications.

BEmONC includes a maternity unit aimed at for caring for women in low-risk pregnancies, with the goal to achieve safe normal vaginal delivery, and to detect and refer women with complications or risk factors.

BEmONC will be staffed primarily by midwives and nurses, with the gynaecologist performing regular ward rounds (twice per day), and on call for emergencies 24 hours per day as required. When on call the gynaecologist would be expected to attend within half an hour for emergencies, and within an hour for non-emergent cases.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• The obstetrician /gynecologist has the responsibilities related to a doctor’s job, especially in the aim of assuring the quality and the continuity of patients under SRH care of INTERSOS (diagnosis, treatment, referral, follow up and recognition of indications that needs surgical intervention)
• To assure emergency consultations related to obstetrics/gynecology and the follow up of the intervention until the release of the patient from the BEmONC
• Document in the patients’ files the history, physical exam and the plan every time the patient is examined or consulted.
• To support the midwife in the maternity service in the planning of monthly medical activities.

• To participate actively in the improvement of protocols and technical questionnaires in the maternity service.
• To collaborate with other partners intervening in the maternity in order to reduce morbidity and mortality related to sexual and reproductive health
• All obstetrics-gynecology activities must be executed according to hygiene standards, protocols and recommendations of INTERSOS.
• Apply hygiene standards in all medical activities
• Collaborate with nurses, midwife and team supervisor in indicating the needs in medical equipment and drugs.

Detailed Description of Medical Activities:

• Ensure two daily rounds of all patients in the BEmONC (excluding newborns) at a set time (unless extreme circumstances)
• Physical examination and documentation of the findings of all patients before discharge
• Availability (“on call”) 24/7 for:
• Management of emergencies as decided by the midwife on duty
• Attendance if requested by the midwife on duty
• Phone advice if required for any obstetric / gynaecological problem
• Ensure the execution of proper maternal and neonatal resuscitation practices and maternal with nurses and midwives
• Ensure examination of all the patients using universal precautions and hand hygiene
• Coordinate the treatment with the other prescribing doctors (if more than 1 gynaecologist) e.g. at shift handover
• Assess and coordinate the need for external consultations and/or referral to other health care facility
• Ensure protocols are in place and followed by medical, midwifery and nursing staff
• Ensure the follow up of patients according to protocol
• Ensure comprehensive documentation in the patients' medical file in a timely and accurate manner diagnosis, laboratory exams, treatments, plan and discharge orders.
• Ensure the systematic and organized follow up of previous hospitalized patients in SRH clinic
• Ensure good implementation of medical activities within the ward (prescription correctly applied, necessary follow-up done…) and correct documentation, escalating to your supervisor if required
• Indicate difficulties in case management, gaps in protocols etc. to medical supervisor
• Detect need for further training of any medical staff (e.g. medical procedures, resuscitation etc.), communicate this to supervisor, participate in planning and execution of training.
• Implement formal training with help of supervisor in obstetric and gynaecological emergencies, including practical training
• Report any issues to your supervisor, including those which impact on staff or patient health
• Active participation in statistics by ensuring correct and appropriate documentation to allow for extrapolation into statistical tools
• Ensure daily complete briefing to colleagues (nurse supervisor and/or medical director if applicable).
• Participate in morning/evening handover of team if present
• Close collaboration with the midwives on duty
• Take part in in-house training of the staff (care, update protocols…)
• Has a general understanding of the association, its functioning, structure and values
• Participates actively in meetings and trainings.
• Is aware of security rules and situation in the field at all time.
• Is aware of activities of other departments and respect specific rules and procedures.
• Is aware of social and political situation and keeps information up-to-date.
• Passes on all relevant information related to INTERSOS scope of action and context.
• Advises on various topics (culture, economy, politics, etc.).
• Translates documents and/or interprets conversation when necessary.

Note: Sexual and Reproductive health activitie SRH Activities include: antenatal and postnatal care, family planning, obstetrical care (BEmONC), neonatal and comprehensive abortion care, management of victims of sexual violence, female genital mutilation, reproductive tract infections and Fistula care. Note: 2. BEmONC = basic emergency obstetric and neonatal care = Administration of antibiotics, oxytocics, anticonvulsants, manual removal of the placenta, removal of retained products following abortion, assisted vaginal delivery, preferably with vacuum extractor and newborn care including neonatal resuscitation.

• Doctor with a formal and recognized specialty in Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Training and experience in SRH
• Having worked in INTERSOS or other NGO’s and in developing countries is desirable
• Doctor with a formal and recognized specialty in Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Pashto and Dari speaking and writing skills are required, English is an asset
• Training and experience in obstetrics and gynaecology, knowledge of Triage and emergency treatment, knowledge of Resuscitation (children and neonates)
• Communication skills
• Diplomacy, good communication and interpersonal skills,
• Multi-cultural flexibility, Team Player, open-minded
• Calm, stress management, patient, ability to listen
• Confidentiality
• Availability for emergencies
• Flexible if asked to participate in activities outside your job description
• Will not behave in a manner contrary to the INTERSOS principles
• Commitment to INTERSOS principles
• Comply with all relevant INTERSOS policies and procedures
• Strong organizational and communication skills, with the ability to effectively present information and respond appropriately to questions from senior managers
• Ability and willingness to travel and stay overnight at service delivery point