MEDICINES DISPENSER

Position status:  Full-time 
Location: Ad Dahi – Al Hudaidah (The project is located in the government Hodaidah operating within the surrounding districts). 
Contract duration: 1 Year contract with 6 months probation period. 

Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, humanitarian, non-governmental organisation providing assistance to people in need as a result of natural and man-made disasters, irrespective of race, religion, ideology or politics.

Main Purpose

To provide an accurate, timely, and qualitative dispensing service of drugs according to medical prescriptions and MSF protocols, standards and procedures in order to improve the patient’s health conditions

Accountabilities

• Dispensing medication to patients according to medical prescription, ensuring the medication is labeled with the correct drug name, strength, quantity, expiry date, directions for use and additional required information and providing clear instructions and advice on how to take the drug, when, how long, how to store, possible side-effects and any other relevant warnings. Making sure the patient understands in order to ensure correct treatment.
• Adhering to MSF practice policies and procedures for dispensing medicines, in particular those relating to controlled drugs and ensuring respect of confidentiality in dispensing 
• Placing accurate and timely orders with the central stock, maintaining minimum stock levels of medicines, checking expiry dates and storage conditions and ensuring no medicines or material are taken out of the dispensary without authorization 
• Maintaining accurate dispensing records and regularly reporting them to his/her technical reference. Ensuring returned and out-of-date medication is safely removed to a well designated quarantine zone for unwanted pharmaceuticals, separated from the normal stock
• Organizing and keeping clean the dispensing area, ensuring cleanliness and care in handling medicines to avoid contamination and mix-up. Maintaining dispensary equipment, ensuring it is clean, accurate and in a good state of repair. 
• Maintaining the integrity and security of the dispensary by admitting only authorized personnel and ensuring that all medicines are stored as appropriate. Reporting immediately to the technical reference on any problem arising in the service (especially loss, robbery, quality problems with medicines (abnormal changes in colour, consistency, and odour) damage of medical equipment or medicines). 
• Carrying out Patient Therapeutic Education (PTE) and interacting with patient using a patient based approach to accompany chronic disease (HIV, TB, etc.) patients along their visits. Receiving patients, informing about treatment and adherence, giving appointment for the next drug delivery. Informing the medical doctor in case of lack of adherence and identifying the reasons and finding solutions to improve adherence.
• Understanding, recording and informing on any complaint received from patients related to medicine use or side effects.

MSF Section/Context Specific Accountabilities

• -Monitoring and collection of real consumption data from clinical areas.
• -Record of stock ruptures in end-user units. 
• -Conducting a regular physical inventory and ordering schedule based on pharmacy chronogram.
• -Ensure end-user unit room should be a secure, lockable , with good arrangement, having access excluded to unauthorized persons. 
• -Maintain Medical items in the end-user units should never be stored in any place where they may be exposed to direct sunlight, or in direct contact with the floor. 
• -Keep The end-user unit with a  regular cleaning/sanitization procedure and must be free from pests and rodents. 
• -Medications should be packed in materials appropriate to the duration of the course.
• -All medication dispensed is required to be clearly labelled. The minimum requirements for labelling of medication should be respected. 
• -There must be adequate information provided to the patient receiving the dispensed medication (i.e. medication explanation). 
• -All dispensing of medication must take place under hygienic conditions, following MSF infection prevention and control procedures. 
• -Dispensing medications process to be  based on written prescriptions/patients files.
• -Medical items in the end-user unit should be stored in an organized manner, with shelves clearly labelled. 
• -Particular consideration should be given for proper labelling, storage and/or segregation of high-risk medical items.
• -Medical items in the unit should be arranged according to FEFO (First Expiry, First Out). Any items without expiry should be arranged according to FIFO (First In, First Out).
• -Cold chain medical items in the end-user unit should be stored in MSF standard refrigerators or cold boxes and must have all recommended temperature monitoring devices in place, as well as a designated staff-member (and backup) allocated and trained to check these devices two times per day, including weekends. 
• - Cycle near expiry to be used first and the Expired medications to be returned to pharmacy on time.
• -overstock or sleeping stock to be notified early for proper managemnt and avoid its waste.

Requirements

Education    

• Diploma (Bachelor is desirable)  in any health science.
• Pharmacy Medical License is an Asset.

Experience    

• NGO or health facility experience is preferred. (2 years’ experience or more)

Languages        

• Arabic language and English language highly recommended.

Knowledge    

• Essential knowledge of basic mathematics and use of measuring equipment
• Desirable computer literacy (word, excel)

Competencies    

• Results and Quality Orientation L1
• Teamwork and Cooperation L1
• Behavioural Flexibility L1
• Commitment to MSF Principles L1 
• Stress Management L2