MEAL Officer

Job Description

Job Overview: Under the direct supervision of the Health Manager in Kachin and in coordination with the MEAL Manager for HHR and MA&L Coordinator in Yangon, the MEAL Officer is responsible for the regular preparation, consolidation, and circulation of data collection, compilation, and analysis reports for all emergency health activities. By making accurate, reliable, and timely data and information available, the MEAL Officer will contribute to the comprehensive analysis of the health situation in the IDP camps and communities where IRC and its partners provide emergency health services and will support the design of health care interventions in these areas.

The MEAL Officer will also work in close collaboration with the Health Cluster Co-Lead Coordinator to guarantee the necessary alignment between IRC and Health Cluster data, tools, and methodologies. The MEAL Officer is expected to be flexible and participate in other relevant functions of IRC Mission, to the best of his/her abilities.

Responsibilities:

Follow up of the Health Information System – Emergency Primary Health Care and Health Promotion

- · Manage the transition of IRC Kachin’s health management information system (HMIS) from a paper-driven system to a digital system based on mobile data entry using Kobo or the open data kit (ODK) platform. - · Manage all HMIS databases, ensuring that they are regularly updated, cleaned, and that confidentiality is protected where appropriate, including for quarterly assessment process of PHC clinics and provide reports to Senior Health Coordinator and Program Manager. - Coordinate all HMIS data entry, including:

o Coordination with Medical Doctors (MD) to ensure regular uploads of mobile data containing clinic consultation records to IRC’s offline server in Kachin.

o Coordination with pharmacists and nurses to ensure timely and accurate entry of drug data.

o Coordination with Health Promotion Officer (HPO) to ensure timely and accurate data entry for health promotion activities and emergency referrals.

o Aggregate all above data in a consolidated monthly HMIS database and share monthly with the MEAL Manager in Yangon

- · Work to improve presentation of key data through the development of excel dashboards etc. - · Where necessary, revise and upgrade data collection tools and methodologies and ensure maximum harmonization/dissemination among mobile clinic and health promotion teams. - · Verify that HMIS reports formulated by mobile clinics and health promotion teams contain all the needed information and are in line with consolidated data collection scheme and priorities. - · Perform sustained monitoring of health indicators including trend analysis. Analyze health data and keep the Senior Health Coordinator and the Health Manager informed about health trends and surveillance trajectories. - · Perform data quality assurance reviews/visits with partners to check and verify their data; provide technical input and follow up on actions needed to correct erroneous or missing data.

Surveillance of infectious diseases and early detection

- · In coordination with the ER coordinator and the Health Manager, act as disease surveillance monitor; Build disease surveillance monitoring tools to detect major and sudden changes in the infectious diseases’ epidemiological situation at the camp level - · Collect, compile, and analyze the data of weekly epidemiological reports sent by the MDs of each mobile clinic. - · Update the epidemiological profile and follow up the trends of infectious diseases in camps. - · Support the delivery of feedback to the Senior Health Coordinator-ER, Health Manager, MDs, and Mobile Clinic teams for timely actions. - · Detect suspected outbreaks or clusters of diseases and inform immediately the Senior Health Coordinator-ER, Health Manager and HPO.

Outbreak follow up, analysis, and response.

- · Under the guidance of the MD, provide in-depth analysis and reports of outbreak situations and collaborate with the MD and HPO to revise the most appropriate response. - · Participate to specific trainings and workshops/events on early detection and monitoring of outbreak responses in IDP camps. - · Coordinate with the MD and HPO to ensure proper data collection and follow up during outbreak responses, including monitoring achievements and preparation of outbreak response report. - · Conduct when necessary outbreak investigation and surveys in the camps.

Training

- · Train all key IRC mobile clinic, health promotion team, community volunteer health workers (VHW) on the use of relevant HMIS tools to collect and report key health and PHC activity data on time. - · Collaboration with MD and HPO in revising data collection and emergency HIS specific training schemes for mobile clinic health staff, health promoters and VHWs (CHW/AMW), - · Assist the MD to conduct specific training on epidemiology and HIS for program staff and VHWs when needed. - · Support the conduct of any relevant training for partners.

Reporting and internal meetings

- · Provide timely HIS reports to MD, Health Manager, and Senior Health Coordinator –ER. - · Under the guidance of the MD and Yangon HHR MEAL Manager, extract and send specific HIS reports to other emergency response shareholders, such as:

o WHO Officer in Myitkyina

o Health Cluster lead and co-lead

o SRHR Working Group leaders.

o Nutrition cluster lead and co-lead

o State Public Health Department (SHD) – Kachin State

o Departments of Public Health – Kachin Township.

- · During monthly ERT coordination meeting, under the guidance of the MD, the MEAL officer will provide presentations of the health situation in camps that will help the Senior Health Coordinator-ER and Program manager give recommendations for required actions to be taken. - · Ensure regular dissemination of outbreak response bulletins to the Health Manager, Senior HC-ER whenever necessary. - · Fill out the monthly Internal Indicator Tracking (ITT) tool. - · Contribute to donor report writing by ensuring that data is available and updated, including those from partners. - · Report any changes in locations targeted for each project, including updates in population data including in partners’ locations.

Assessments and evaluations

- · Support the conduct of rapid needs assessment where necessary, including but not limited to:

o Development of forms on Kobo or ODK

o Training of data collectors

o Conduct of data collection

o Basic analysis and report writing

- · Lead the conduct of relevant assessments and evaluations in Kachin for HHR programs including KAP surveys, and baseline and end line surveys.

Qualifications

**Education****:

- B.Comm.H with Public Health experience of at least 1 year working.

Work Experience:

- Experience in an INGO/LNGO in a similar position as an asset. - Ability to work cooperatively in a team environment.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

- · Proven computer skills (MS-Office, internet applications, data management software an advantage) - · Ability and flexibility to understand the cultural and healthy environment, and work with the communities and local authorities. - · Good English speaking and writing skills. - · Attention to detail. - · Data analysis and data management skills. - · Willingness to travel and work in IDP camps and rural villages when requested.

Language Skills:

- Knowledge of Shan/Kachin dialects.

Myanmar nationals with relevant skills sets and proven experience of working at international level are strongly encouraged.