Description

Job Description

Job title:

SURGICAL COMMUNITY HEALTH OFFICER

Work Location:

KONO

Department:

CLINICAL

Reports to:

GENERAL SURGEON

Duration of Contract

12 MONTHS

Application Status

EXTERAL ADVERT

Line Management

No

Requisition Number

Organisation Profile

Partners In Health (PIH) is an international health organization relentlessly committed to improving the health of the poor and marginalized. PIH partners with local governments to build local capacity and works closely with impoverished communities to deliver high-quality health care, address the root causes of illness, train providers, advance research, and advocate for global policy change. Our delivered services in the field are based in our partnership with the Governments and Ministries of Health and the support to education, training and mentorship to Health care workers and students is one of our pillars for the Health care system strengthening.

PIH currently has implementation programs in Haiti, Rwanda, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Peru, Mexico, Russia, Sierra Leone and Navajo Nation. Through our partnership with Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, we support a wide range of programs in dozens of other countries around the world.

Our Work In Sierra Leone:

Partners In Health (PIH) began supporting the government of Sierra Leone in response to the Ebola epidemic in October 2014. Recognizing the large need for continued investments in the health system after Ebola, PIH is committed to long-term health system strengthening in support of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS), guided by the same principles as our emergency response and our work around the world: public sector accompaniment, integrated and comprehensive services, social justice, nimbleness and flexibility, partnership, community ownership, and evidence-based interventions. In the aftermath of the epidemic, PIH is committed to supporting the delivery of comprehensive health services in Sierra Leone, from the community level to the health center and to referral hospitals.

Position Overview

Partners In Health helped to lead the effort to combat the Ebola outbreak and now is focusing to rebuild the health systems in West Africa, while maintaining Ebola preparedness through infection prevention and control. Established in Sierra Leone in October 2015, we are now fully integrated with our long-term partner, the Wellbody Alliance, who has been working to serve the poorest patients in the country since 2007. The Ebola epidemic further devastated an already weakened health system. As the epidemic wanes, PIH is committed to supporting the delivery of comprehensive health services in Sierra Leone, from the community level to the health center and to referral hospitals.

As a Surgical Medical Officer or CHO in Sierra Leone, you will work collaboratively with the specialist surgeon, the local district health authorities at the Koidu Government Hospital (KGH), and our surrounding health centers and community, in order to provide clinical care and to strengthen the health system for surgical care. You will advance PIH’s current health systems strengthening efforts by managing and actively supporting clinical service delivery, education and training, and systems for surgical care at the district hospital. Additionally, you will provide training on infection disease control and will develop clinical learning programs for hospital staff, focusing on safe patient care to meet national and international standards.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Responsibilities

• Work in collaboration with the Surgeon and MoHS surgical MO to provide comprehensive surgical care for KGH and Welbody Clinic, according to current guidelines.
• Provide surgical clinical care for patients throughout their clinical course: from referral to diagnosis, outpatient and inpatient management.
• Carry out daily rounds on different surgical wards with clinicians and nurses
• Perform on call duties in collaborations with others clinicians assigned to surgical department, in order to ensure continuous l coverage
• Perform clinical teaching, mentorship and capacity building of clinicians, nurses and students
• Support the theatre teams and other surgical teams in different aspects of daily surgical care
• Support to implement and maintain the Infection Prevention Control protocols by directly supervising the care in surgical wards, minor, main theatres and wound care clinic.
• Support the non-surgical wards to perform the surgical care as the need arises
• Work in collaboration with the MoHS staff to provide the best surgical care to all the patients
• Ensure and maintain the surgical database in collaboration with the MEQ team

  Education and Work Experience Requirements:

  • MD or equivalent medical training or licensed as Surgical Community Health Officer.
  • At least two years of clinical experience in a low-resource health care setting.
  • Ability to be flexible and effective in the face of unexpected challenges.
  • Proven ability to exercise good judgement, demonstrate political astuteness, and tact.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including ability to effectively communicate with internally and externally.
  • Excellent computer proficiency (MS Office – Word, Excel and Outlook)
  • Must be able to work under pressure and meet deadlines, while maintaining a positive attitude and providing exemplary customer service.
  • Ability to work independently and to carry out assignments to completion within parameters of instructions given, prescribed routines, and standard accepted practices
  • Must not hold a PIN code or receive salary from consolidated funds.
  • Ability to live full-time in Kono required.

    Safe Guarding

    Partners In Health Sierra Leone is dedicated to preventing unwanted behaviour in the workplace, including sexual harassment, exploitation, abuse, financial misconduct, and ensuring the welfare of those, we serve. We expect all staff, consultants, contractors, vendors, and volunteers to uphold these values as outlined in our code of conduct.

    The successful candidate will receive appropriate training and must adhere to the organization’s safeguarding policies. Employment offers are contingent upon satisfactory references and screening checks, which may include criminal records and terrorism finance checks.

    As a participant in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, we request information from previous employers about any instances of sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment. Additionally, Partners In Health Sierra Leone will share records of such misconduct with other agencies upon staff departure, ensuring transparency and accountability. By applying, candidates acknowledge and agree to these recruitment procedures

    Method of application

    An application with a detailed curriculum vitae (maximum 3 pages) including the names, addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers of two (3) referees, photocopies of all certificates, and attestations should be addressed to the Human Resources Department at 27 Sahr Lebbie Street Kono or by email to [email protected] no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30th, 2025.

    PIH is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of sex, religion, tribe or region. Female applicants are encouraged to apply and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.