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Purpose of the post:

The purpose of this consultancy is to collaborate with the Food and Medicine Quality Control Laboratory to enhance operational efficacy, ensure compliance with national and international standards, refine testing methodologies for accuracy, and elevate staff capabilities. By focusing on streamlining processes, strengthening quality assurance practices, and optimizing workflows, the consultancy aims to drive significant improvements in the food laboratory's performance,ensuring high quality and reliable testing of food products.

Background

Afghanistan’s health system faces multiple challenges at all levels including financial, human resources,   limited infrastructure, a complex health eco-system and donor dependency. These challenges impede the health system and therefore the delivery of optimal quality and safer care and which has presented obstacles to leadership and coordination on issues related to the quality of care received by the population of Afghanistan.  This is besides the tendency within fragile, conflict-affected, and vulnerable (FCV) settings for the quality-of-care issues to be relegated to “not now” status.

According to the health cluster as well as the recent assessments contributing to the development of the Health Sector Transitional Strategy (HSTS), there is a recognized necessity to accelerate actions towards enhancing the quality and safety of care as part of the evolving Health Sector Transitional Strategy (HSTS), which has a strong emphasis on expanding coverage of quality health services.

This project aims to identify and address key challenges and opportunities to enhance the food laboratory's capacities and performance crucial for improving food safety, public health outcomes and supporting regulatory frameworks.

Work to be performed

Output: Improved overall efficiency of Food and Medicine Quality Control Laboratory testing procedures, ensuring compliance with national and international standards, enhancing staff competencies, and optimizing testing protocols for accurate and reliable results.

Tasks:

1. Evaluate the existing Quality Control system to identify gaps and opportunities for standardization and improvement in line with Quality Control best practices.

2. Assist the Quality Control lab in implementing a roadmap for ISO 17025 accreditation and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP).

3. Enhance the performance of nonfunctional departments within the food section.

4. Assist the quality assurance department in supporting equipment maintenance, calibration, and validation.

5. Develop necessary guidelines and SOPs for the QC laboratory.

6. Identify the QC department's equipment and reagent requirements

7. Coordinate the organization of QC lab technical committee meetings.

8. Assist in developing and conducting necessary in-job training programs on advanced technology including HPLC, HPLC-LC-Ms, Gass Chromatography, FTIR for the QC lab staff.

9. Prepare detailed reports on laboratory activities, findings, and compliance within the country.

10. Streamline and optimize quality control workflows and processes to enhance efficiency, reduce errors, and improve overall lab productivity.

Deliverables:

Deliverable 1: Reports on adherence to ISO 17025 and GLP

Deliverable 2: List of required equipment and reagents

Deliverable 3: Developed guidelines and SoPs

Deliverable 4: Minutes of committee’s meetings

Deliverable 5: Training reports

Qualifications required:

Essential: University degree in food science, Biotechnology, or pharmacy.

Desirable: Specialization/Master’s degree in food science, Biotechnology, or pharmacy.

- Experience required:

A minimum of 2-4 years of experience specifically in the field of Laboratory Quality Control.

- Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

   • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

   • High sense of responsibility and strong organizational skills with the ability to work under pressure.

   • Advanced computer literacy (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)

- Language requirements:

   • Advanced knowledge of Pashtu and Dari

   • Excellent knowledge of English

Technical Supervision

The selected Consultant will work under the supervision of:

1. National Professional Officer (HSS)

2. National Technical Officer

WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

- WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

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