General Objective of the Position:The primary goal is to lead, coordinate, and provide national-level advisory services for laboratory activities conducted by VIHCA at CES/UVG, as part of the technical assistance offered to the National STI/HIV-AIDS Program of the Ministry of Health of Panama. These efforts aim to enhance, in collaboration with MINSA, the diagnostic services, monitoring of HIV infection, viral load measurement, and management of opportunistic infections.Main Responsibilities:Develop and implement a work plan outlining the activities defined as part of the technical assistance from VIHCA at CES/UVG, in coordination with the regional laboratory team and the VIHCA country coordinator at CES/UVG.Strengthen laboratory operations by providing technical support for the implementation, coordination, monitoring, and operational improvement of laboratories supported by VIHCA in CLAMS and Antiretroviral Treatment Clinics (CTARV).Assist in the implementation of new diagnostic technologies or improvements in existing methodologies in the laboratories of CLAM sites, CTARV, and the Regional Laboratory of Veraguas.Support continuous quality improvement activities in laboratories by developing and monitoring improvement plans, enhancing quality control processes, and ensuring proper documentation management in VIHCA-supported sites.Design and implement a training plan for laboratory staff within health services supported by VIHCA at CES/UVG, developed in close coordination with the National Reference Laboratory, the National HIV-AIDS Program, the Clinical Laboratory Regulation Department, and the VIHCA Regional Laboratory Coordination at CES/UVG. The plan includes topics such as biosafety, diagnostics, quality assurance, and infection control, among others.Assist in the efficient management of laboratory supply inventory to ensure timely and adequate delivery.ActivitiesCollaborate with the Regional Laboratory Coordination and the VIHCA country coordinator at CES/UVG to construct the operational plan that will facilitate the activities outlined in VIHCA's work plan. This plan must be agreed upon with local authorities from the Ministry of Health.Provide technical support to optimize the functioning of laboratories at CLAM/CTARV sites with a focus on viral load and opportunistic infections. This includes technical aspects, logistics, staff training, supply management, documentation updates and creation (POEs), quality indicators, and proper disposal of bioinfectious waste.Schedule and conduct bi-monthly visits to ensure ongoing support and evaluation of laboratory performance.
Mar 5, 2026