Medevac Coordinator Assistant

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

Assignment is non-family (GOMA)

Within the terms of the organization’s delegated authority and under the overall supervision of the Chief Medical Officer and under the direct supervision of Chief Medevac Coordinator, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Responsible for the receipt and compilation of medical confidential information been forwarded from the Medical Administrative Unit, patients or treating physicians from alternative evacuation locations; • Maintains the Medevac Database with regards to evacuations and recording of statistical data in Earthmed; • Assist with the daily implementation of the missions medical evacuation requirements, both within and out of the DRC; • Travel within the DRC to assist and present training regarding medical evacuation process; • Assume, on occasion, the responsibility of Officer in Charge of the Medevac unit, in the absence of the unit supervisor; • Assist, when necessary, with the medical evacuation or repatriation of patients out of the DRC; • Perform other duties as may be assigned by Chief Medical Officer or through his designate, Chief Medevac Coordinator. • Reports to the Chief Medevac Coordinator on clinical and administrative matters pertaining to medical evacuations; • This assignment is a support service to the UN (MONUSCO); it is not a humanitarian assignment involving direct work or interaction with beneficiaries.

• Professionalism;
• Integrity;
• Respect for diversity;
• Team work;
• Planning and organizing;
• Communication

Nursing or emergency medicine;

• Qualified Registered Nurse, Enrolled Nurse, Paramedic or Medical Technician; • Previous experience in peace keeping operations or international experience in hazardous environment will be valuable; • Previous experience with paramedical evacuation or aviation medicine will be beneficial; • Computer skills, must be proficient in working with Microsoft Office programs and systems; • Proficiency in document drafting ability and recording; • Have affinity with or interest in humanitarian relief, post-conflict situations, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the third largest country in Africa, and as a result is quite diverse.

Living conditions therefore vary between MONUSCO duty stations, with all usual amenities present in the capital Kinshasa, but only very basic conditions in remote duty stations in the provinces, where, for instance, there may be no guarantee of public power supply nor running water. The ability to live and work in difficult and harsh conditions of developing countries is essential.

Accommodation is very expensive in both Kinshasa and Lubumbashi. Supermarkets exist in the large towns (e.g. Bukavu, Kisangani), but consumer items are generally very expensive (as everything is imported). For food, local markets offer a much cheaper alternative.

All MONUSCO duty stations are considered non-family duty stations, and most are currently under UN Security Phase III (“relocation phase”: internationally-recruited staff are temporarily concentrated or relocated to specified sites/locations). In addition to insecurity related to the relatively volatile political situation as well as various conflict situations, certain places are subject to increasing street and residential crime, including in Kinshasa and Goma.

Some degree of medical service is provided in all MONUSCO duty stations. Certain vaccinations are mandatory for MONUSCO personnel to enter the DRC, while others are compulsory for all other incoming persons. It is possible for incoming MONUSCO personnel, including UNV volunteers, to be asked to provide proof of some or all vaccinations at N’Djili airport in Kinshasa, though this is unlikely (a MONUSCO protocol/travel officer is usually present and may be able to assist). All UNV volunteers must ensure that they are up-to-date with all appropriate vaccinations, which should be clearly and properly endorsed in the International Certificate of Vaccination (“carte jaune”). Malaria is present virtually throughout the DRC, and it is therefore recommended to take prophylaxis.

The unit of currency is the Congolese Franc. The US dollar is the other preferred currency. It may be impossible to exchange traveller’s checks away from the capital city. Credit cards are usually accepted in major hotels only in Kinshasa. In larger towns and cities (e.g. Kinshasa, Goma, Bukavu, Kisangani),UN Volunteers are recommended to open US Dollar bank accounts, while in other places, banks may be absent (including ATMs) and VLA payments will be processed in cash. UN Volunteers have the possibility to send part of their allowances to a bank account abroad.

In addition to French, there are four major spoken languages in DRC, namely Lingala, Kikongo, Tshiluba and Swahili.