The healthcare system in Gaza has been overwhelmed, incapacitated and partly destroyed by bombing and fighting since the current war broke out in October. Healthcare facilities have been damaged or destroyed by air and ground attacks, health workers have been displaced, killed and detained, and many other facilities are non-operational due to lack of access, supplies, equipment, fuel, electricity or water. The remaining facilities are only partially serviceable while also sheltering displaced people, lacking adequate supplies and equipment for IPC and losing medical and support staff due to the ongoing situation. Remaining workers are burned out and exhausted.
The Ministry of Health and WHO have collectively requested or identified the need for some ~20+ Emergency Medical Teams to reinforce capacity and provide urgent and critical health services for the affected population including high numbers of war injuries and trauma as well as rapidly increasing disease due to the overcrowding and unsanitary conditions imposed on the civilian population. The IRC and MAP are collaborating to deploy Emergency Medical Teams to reinforce local capacity and provide urgently needed health services for the affected population. Even if fighting stopped tomorrow, it is likely that emergency medical capacity will be required for the coming months and throughout 2024.
Scope of work
IRC contracts the medical consultant to join an emergency medical team (EMT) mission hosted either by an IRC Partner or IRC to support hospitals and clinics in southern Gaza. They will deploy in person to Cairo for the training and then to the south portion of Gaza to fulfill the role of an essential team member of the Emergency Medical Team. The consultant EMT is responsible for performing medical duties as needed to further the goals of the mission and ensure appropriate post-op care and follow-up. The IRC provides Duty of Care and safety and security training to all EMTs before entering Gaza and the team is accompanied by our Safety and Security Coordinator throughout their deployment.
Expenses Covered by the IRC:
•Travel from your home country to Cairo and back
•Transportation between Cairo and Gaza
•Meals for the entirety of your two-week deployment
•Hotel accommodation in Cairo and housing in Gaza
The Anesthesia specialist will work as a part of the Emergency medical Team and carry out anesthetic procedures, such as conducting of the anesthesia using the common ways of induction, pain management, managing the cases in the intensive care unit and etc. (as appropriate to the scope of practice) as well as, where appropriate, delivering capacity building to the MoH anesthetist MoH personnel.
They will report to the Gaza Team Lead. This role's objective and primary responsibility is to perform anesthesia at the assigned hospital, and to provide much-needed surge support to the health care staff of Gaza. The physician will deliver medical care to patients in need and present it to the hospital in the area of their specialization.
Modalities:
•One-time 2-3 week deployment
•Rotating schedule
Main responsibilities:
• Initiate and maintain appropriate intra-operative anesthetic care. Ensure that the patients are given the appropriate anesthesia dosage and maintained while the surgery is going on.
•Monitor the patients after the anesthesia is given.
•Informs physician of patient's condition during anesthesia.
•Document and archive patients’ reports; preoperative assessments, and intra and postoperative anesthesia procedures.
•Accompany clinical team to hospital as required to evaluate, diagnose, treat, and provide care to patients in accordance with evidence-based guidelines, as hospital supplies permit, and using IPC principles in place.
•Work in collaboration with local OT staff, to support the needs of the local health care staff personnel. Additionally, work with staff from iNGOs that are staffing and supporting at the same hospital.
•Work with logistician and/or medical logistician to ensure medications and medical supplies are well-documented
•Work within the team schedule and collaboration with MAP, Gaza MoH, WHO, local Gaza Hospitals, EHAU focal points, and other necessary stakeholders to support a productive, safe, and efficient Emergency Medical Team mission to Gaza amidst a highly volatile conflict zone.
•Promptly identify areas requiring immediate support and communicate these needs through the appropriate reporting hierarchy.
•Coordinate with the team and seek guidance from the Gaza Team Lead as directed.
•Support and deliver capacity building, according to identified needs through embedding in host structure, and providing technical training programs if appropriate.
•Ensure the evaluation of activities within the unit and appropriate monitoring and reporting of these
•Support in the collection of clinical data and reporting
Experience and Qualifications:
Essential:
•Graduate of an accredited medical school with a Degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD)
•Nation or international Board Certification in the specialty of Anesthesia.
•Current, active, complete, and unrestricted license as an anesthesia physician to practice and induct anesthesia, pain management, and manage cases require anstheesia services in OR, ICU and etc., including ability to prescribe scheduled narcotics.
•Ability to work in a team comprising multiple partners and/or medical volunteers from different organizations and backgrounds, with distinct skillsets.
•Registered and have active affiliation with the medica association and other governance body in the country.
•Fluent in English
Desirable:
•Arabic speaker
•Proven experience as part of an Emergency Team
•Background in humanitarian aid delivery
•Previous experience of working in low-resource and or conflict settings
•Familiarity with culture, customs, and religious context, and sensitivity towards staff, and acknowledgement of the sensitive and delicate nature of the conflict.
