Program Officer

**Program Officer - Surveillance**

**Location - Jaipur**

**Duration - 1 Year (As of Now)**

**This position will be on PATH’s third-party payroll, Randstad**

PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity. With more than 40 years of experience forging multisector partnerships, and with expertise in science, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales up innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing health challenges.

**About the project**

COVID-19 pandemic has shifted our focus on various health determinants in the world and in India. It has shown the relevance of timely disease reporting in urban and rural areas, ‘One Health’ principles in the governance of infectious diseases, especially to prevent and contain zoonotic diseases throughout the world and overuse of antibiotics. Post the pandemic, strengthening of diagnostic capacities, and surveillance networks have emerged as priority focus areas for government of India and state governments.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is increasingly being recognised as a major public health problem in India. The country adopted a United Nations political declaration on 21st September 2016 which calls for a collaborative global response to the threat of antimicrobial resistance. The Government of India also promulgated the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. Six strategic priorities have been identified under the NAP-AMR: (i) improving awareness and understanding of AMR through effective communication, education and training; (ii) strengthening knowledge and evidence through surveillance; (iii) reducing the incidence of infection through effective infection prevention and control; (iv) optimizing the use of antimicrobial agents in health, animals and food; (v) promoting investments for AMR activities, research and innovations; and (vi) strengthening India’s leadership on AMR.

PATH through this proposal envisages supporting the state of Rajasthan for combatting AMR, strengthening the multisectoral approach for One Health and helping strengthen urban surveillance mechanisms through TA for establishment of Metropolitan Surveillance Unit.

**Responsibilities**:
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- Coordinate and provide technical assistance to the State in strengthening public health surveillance systems.
- Support State health officials in implementation of Metropolitan Surveillance Unit (MSU)in collaboration with SMS Medical College
- Develop SOPs, identify training needs and linkages with sentinel sites for sample collection and transportation to the MSU
- Work closely with Health Systems Strengthening team at PATH and state government counterparts to develop, implement, monitor state specific project activities including development of roadmaps, work-plans, activities, reports etc.
- Develop and demonstrate models of district surveillance for zoonotic diseases in geographies identified by the state
- Undertake field visit to districts for implementation of various components of surveillance and One Health
- Support state health officials in devising strategies for one heath and climate change & human health.
- Carry out the required trainings of stakeholders both program managers and service delivery staff in the State for strengthening the public health surveillance systems.
- Development of technical documents, IEC materials as required by the project.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor from time to time, for the smooth functioning of the project and for the achievement of project goals.

**Required Skills**:
Required Experience
- Any graduate with Post-graduate in Community Medicine/ Public Health/ Epidemiology/ Healthcare Management
- Applicants must have at least 5 years professional experience in public health
- Experience of working with IDSP, NCDC, WHO, CDC will be preferred.
- Experience of working embedded within state health systems in similar role will be preferred.
- Technical knowledge and understanding of public health surveillance
- Familiarity with the Indian health system, newer initiatives in disease surveillance including IHIP and relevant programs like IDSP, NHM, Ayushman Bharat
- Health and Wellness Centers, PM-ABHIM and XV-FC etc.

**Abilities/Skills**:

- Excellent written, oral communication and presentation skills in English and Hindi
- Proficiency in writing technical and programmatic documents such as learning resource packages, training materials and reports
- Demonstrated ability to work with diverse stakeholders include national and state government counterparts, donors, and development partners
- Excellent coordination, organizational and project management skills
- Ability to handle a variety of assignments under pressure of deadlines
- Computer proficiency with high level of familiarity with commonly used packages like MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook & Web surfing to search relevant data & documents.
- Ability and willingness to travel up to 40%