Senior Research Assistant, Provost Office COE at Aga Khan University Hospital

Senior Research Assistant, Provost Office COE

Department: Provost Office COE

Entity: Aga Khan University

Introduction to the Aga Khan University:

Chartered in 1983, Aga Khan University (AKU) is a private, autonomous, and self-governing international university with 13 teaching sites in 6 countries distributed across three continents. As an integral part of the Aga Khan Development Network, AKU provides higher education in several disciplines, carries out research pertinent to the countries in which it exists and has campuses, programs and/or teaching hospitals in Afghanistan, Kenya, Pakistan, Tanzania, Uganda, and the UK. As an international institution, AKU operates on the core principles of quality, relevance, impact, and access; and AKU is a model of academic excellence and an agent of social change.

As an equal opportunity employer, AKU believes in promoting a diverse and inclusive culture and is committed to adopt appropriate standards for safeguarding and promoting a respectful relationship with and between diverse workforce of its faculty, staff, trainees, volunteers, beneficiaries, wider communities, and other stakeholders with whom it works, including children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees/trainees and partners to share this commitment.

This is a grant-funded contractual position.

Job Roles / Responsibilities:

To work with the Research Specialist and Research Manager on a research project in order to investigate/establish the aims and objectives of the research project.

The incumbent will be responsible for to:

• develop liaisons and good relationships with the mothers/ caregivers of the target age group children in the union council;
• address the concerns and reservations of the families regarding all antigens, with a special focus on the polio vaccine, professionally and respectfully;
• shall follow up with mothers of due and defaulter children, and ensure that every child gets all the EPI antigens according to the prescribed schedule;
• ensure to enter CNIC and Phone numbers on the vaccination cards of children under 5 years and TD vaccination card for women of reproductive age;
• collaborate with field staff (Lady Health Workers/ Social Mobilizers of Comnet, government vaccinators, dais, etc.) to get information regarding pregnant ladies in the catchments area and support vaccination of newborn babies within the first 48 hours of birth and identification of due and defaulter children, zero dose children and any new arrivals in the community;
• shall provide professional counseling to the mothers and caregivers on key family health practices and health-seeking behaviors;
  to promote the positive behavior of mothers by showcasing the fully immunized children within the target community;
• to conduct regular community engagement sessions regarding misconceptions against immunization, keeping their supervisor (MO, WMO) in a loop;
• prepare and distribute health education materials, including reports, bulletins, and visual aids such as films, videotapes, photographs, and posters but first get them reviewed by supervisor;
• document daily/weekly activities, regarding Information such as the number of children completing immunization schedule, due/ defaulter list covered, hesitant families, number of mothers/ caregivers counseled each day and the assistance provided to vaccinators (fixed & outreach);
• to ensure an enabling and conducive environment within the health facility for active vaccination, the importance of vaccination, crowd management, and information regarding AEFI to the parents;
• in case of leave she will have to follow up with her pending due and defaulter list and cover up her activities the next day meanwhile other LHC will cover her;
• any other duties assigned by the supervisor.
  

Requirements:

The applicant should have:

Intermediate/Diploma in relevant field;
Graduation will be preferred;
One year experience will be preferred in relevant field;
Sensitivity to cultural differences;
Ability to manage time and prioritize tasks effectively;
Excellent team player;
Good communication and interpersonal skills;
Resilience and ability to cope with work pressure;
Willing to work in communities;
sound clinical judgment and community health knowledge;
flexibility in taking over additional/new responsibilities when required by the project or directed by reporting Manager.

Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted.