ANNOUNCEMENT FOR CONSULTANCY

Job Title: Research Assistant contractual

Job openings: 02 (01 in the Centre and 01 in the Littoral regions)

Location: Centre and Littoral Regions

Duration: 3 months with the possibility of extension

Reports to: Study Coordinator of CONTACT & INPUT Research Projects/Associate Regulatory Officer

Terms of Offer: consultant position

"Sometimes in life, there is that moment when it's possible to make a change for the better. This is one of those moments." -Elizabeth Glaser

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is a global leader in the fight against pediatric HIV and AIDS, working in 15 countries and at over 5,500 sites around the world to prevent the transmission of HIV to children, and to help those already infected. Today, because of the highly successful work of the Foundation and its partners, pediatric AIDS has been virtually eliminated in the United States. With a growing global staff of over 1,000—nine of 10 who work in the field—the Foundation’s global mission is to eliminate pediatric HIV and AIDS by implementing HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs; further advance innovative research; and to execute strategic and targeted global advocacy activities to bring dramatic change to the lives of millions of women, children, and families worldwide.

Project description

The goal of the UNITAID CAP-TB project is to reach more children who are exposed to or are suffering from tuberculosis (TB), by using innovative models of TB care for children and improving the market for child-friendly TB medicines. One innovative research project is the integration of pediatric TB services into child healthcare units and at all the child entry point in health facilities (INPUT study). The INPUT study is a cluster-randomized intervention study using a stepped wedge design to compare two strategies for case detection and management of tuberculosis in children under the age of 5 years. This study will compare the standard of care, which offers pediatric TB services based on the current routine approach in the country and the intervention, which will offer pediatric TB services integrated into key child healthcare services, as part of the UNITAID CaP TB package. Another innovative research project is the community contact tracing of children who have been in close contact with adults that have been diagnosed with TB (CONTACT study). This study is designed as a cluster randomized controlled trial comparing two models of contact tracing. One model is facility-based where TB cases are asked to bring their children under 5 years or HIV+ to the facility for screening. The other model is community-based, where community healthcare workers go into the households of TB cases and screen the children on the spot.

Symptomatic children are referred to the facility for diagnosis and children under 5 or HIV infected child under 15 years with a negative screening are offered preventive therapy.

Purpose of the Job

Within INPUT and CONTACT study, cost analysis surveys will be carried out to evaluate various tuberculosis (TB) care strategies used in preventing, diagnosing and treating TB among children sick with, or exposed to TB. These surveys will collect data on the costs incurred by the parents/Guardians in the process of seeking care for their children and service delivery cost including program set up cost. EGPAF, therefore, intends to hire short- term data collectors for a period of at least 2 months, possibly four months.

Job Summary

The Research Assistant contractual must be a self-motivated individual who is experienced in quantitative data collection methods. He/she will administer structured questions to various stakeholders involved in TB management (health program managers, health care workers, and community workers, caregivers). He/she will be responsible for the recruitment and enrollment of study participants, visit procedures and collection of information from study participants and maintaining the safety and confidentiality of the data collected according to the study protocol. His/Her role will include travelling to the homes of participants and administer structured questions about their care-seeking history, associated financial impacts, and their economic circumstances He/she will report to the Associate Research Regulatory Officer, Study Coordinator and Principal Investigator on study-related issues.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Essential duties and responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to the following:

• Maintain confidentiality and respect in interactions with participants
• Obtain informed consent with all study participants
• Collect data according to standard operating procedures
• Conduct data entry and correction of any data deficiencies
• Ensure that study targets are met, and data are documented truthfully and completely
• Preserve the integrity of the research by reporting any wrong-doing, deviations or violations observed or involved
• Protect collected data and any other study documents and records through organized storage and management.
• Maintain a good relationship with the participants, the facility staff and other staff involved in the study.
• Become familiar with EGPAF research policies and procedures, ethical conduct of research, human subject protection, the study protocol and all requirements of conducting study procedures
• Any other responsibilities as assigned.