The Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) is an international medical organization, founded in 2009. ALIMA’s aim is to provide a high standard of healthcare in situations of emergency or medical disaster and to improve the practice of humanitarian medicine by developing innovative projects associated with medical research. The specific feature of the association is to base its operating methods mainly on partnership with national medical players. By pooling and capitalizing on their skills, ALIMA and its partners give as many people as possible access to a high standard of treatment. Since its creation, the association and its partners have successfully developed in line with the increase in humanitarian medical needs, especially in Western and Central Africa: 580,000 patients treated in 2014 including over 25,000 hospitalizations, new governance between the partners of the medical NGO platform in the Sahel, new innovative approaches and operational research projects. ALIMA also responded to the Ebola emergency by opening a 40-bed Ebola treatment centre in Guinea. With operations in eight countries, 15 projects, over 1,200 employees and a budget of €19.5 million, ALIMA is a dynamic NGO, effectively deploying medical aid for the most vulnerable.
- Experience 2 years
- Location Abuja
As part of his/her duties, the incumbent will visit programs and be in contact with children and/or vulnerable adults. Therefore, a criminal record check or a certificate of good conduct will be required. In situations where it is not possible to provide a criminal record or a certificate of good conduct, a declaration on honour will be requested.
FUNCTIONAL AND HIERARCHICAL LINKS
- Reports to the medical coordinator
- Refers to the pharmacist technical referent in HQ.
- Supervises the mission pharmacy assistant.
MISSION AND MAIN ACTIVITIES
The Country Pharmacy Manager is responsible for analysing the need for medicines and medical equipment, and ensuring the quality of the products used and their availability in the field.
- Ensure proper management of medicines throughout the mission
- Bridging our activities with medicines issues in relation to national pharmacy policies
- Reinforce capacity Strengthen skills of the HR of our pharmacies as well as those of the supported health structures
General supervision of pharmacies Country·
- Provide technical support in the organisation of distribution units (project stock) and consumption units: layout of premises, storage and classification of products, storage conditions, hygiene, etc.
- Implement and supervise the appropriate use of pharmacy management and monitoring tools (stock sheets, order sheets, Saga stock, Saga stock reporting, etc.).
- Ensure regular monitoring, completion/filling and emergency trunks/kits according the emergency response strategy of the mission.
- Ensure that the cold chain is maintained in accordance with ALIMA standards.
- Ensure monthly monitoring of stock status (risk of shortage, shortage, overstock, dormant stock, products close to expiry, inventory discrepancies) and provide feedback of monthly pharmacy reports to the medical coordination
- Travel regularly to projects to provide support to the medical department on all the issues related to pharmacy.
Managing the supply of medicines and equipment
- Ensure the existence and proper functioning of a supply circuit for medicines and medical equipment from the supply centre to dispensation to the patient.
- Draw up internal medical orders: both in terms of periodicity (considering geographical, security, operational and financial constraints) and needs (based on average monthly consumption analysed with stock rotations and epidemiological factors).
- Define the medication circuit in accordance with the requirements of the donors.
- Ensure a clear and coherent circuit/distribution system between the different units (distribution/consumption), including the assignment of responsibilities among the staff involved.
- Encourage communication and information sharing on project stocks, pharmacy management and activity monitoring.
- Collect and record all data and indicators for the mission reports (monthly, quarterly, annual).
- Monitor current and theoretical consumption (according to the Saga stock) and in the elaboration, consolidation, planning and follow-up of international medical orders, including the budgeting part with finance and logistics, as well as to take the necessary measures in case of delays in delivery, risks of stock-outs, etc.
- Prepare applications for import authorization (for products requiring one) and supervises the obtaining of authorization from national authorities and assists logistics, if necessary, in the customs clearance procedures for medical orders.
- Ensure that the final version of the orders is transmitted to the fields (deadlines, quantities, etc.).
- Follow up on orders in progress (reception, backorders).
Management of distribution units (project pharmacies)
- Ensure correct storage and identification of items according to ALIMA standards.
- Ensures the correct use of the stock cards (entry/exit/inventory/signature at each line etc.).
- Supervise and/or participate in regular (quarterly/before end of lease contracts/and always before order picking) comprehensive and mandatory physical inventories.
- Prepare a stocktaking report (with an initialled and archived copy) after completion and take advantage of it to value the stock.
- Ensure that the following are kept up to date
- the register of psychotropic drugs and narcotics
- the register of expired products
- Track monthly donations, loans and repayments of proceeds between projects or to third parties.
- Ensure the follow-up of the expiry dates of items, the state of completion and the rotation of emergency trunks, first aid kits and pharmacies in the offices and/or expat houses according to the respective pre-established periodicity.
Country support
- Stay properly informed about national import regulations and any possible changes in procedures.
- Be aware of national standards for the destruction of perishable medical items and to advocate for the adequacy of international standards.
- Communicate regularly with logistics, administration and finance on medical supplies.
- Implement the information, validation and reporting circuit within the medical supply chain in conjunction with the Medical and Logistics Department.
- Set up regular meetings to improve communication and the information sharing that is essential for operations.
- Report to the Medical Coordination (at least monthly and whenever considered necessary) the situation of the pharmacy: state of location, expiry of medicines, consumption, prevention of stock shortages, etc. by means of the monthly pharmacy report
Capacity building and team building
- Define, with the help of the direct managers of the people concerned, the training needs of the teams involved in the management of the pharmacy, in line with the objectives of the project.
- Provide continuous pharma training for supply chain and stock management to project Health Unit staff on the ALIMA Pharma SOP’s and GDPs
- Assists in the assessment of the technical and managerial capacities of staff involved in the management of pharmacies.
- Provide support supervision to pharmacy technicians and dispensers to ensure proper management and reporting of medical drugs and supplies.
- Provide technical guidance to pharmacy officers to assess staff needs, identify gaps, and adapt plans/activities.
Experiences and Skills
Training :
- Degree in pharmaceutical sciences
- Experiences :
- At least 2 years’ experience in a similar position
- Experience in a medical humanitarian context
- Experience in team management and leadership
Skills and Quality
- Analytic and organisational skills
- Critical sense and strength of proposal
- Rigour
- Autonomy and curiosity
- Flexibility and stress management
- Strong listening and empathy skills
- Ability to work in teams in multicultural contexts