Psychologist - Dagahaley Camp at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)

Work Location: Dagahaley Refugee Camp,  Kenya

Start date: As Soon As Possible.

MSF is a humanitarian medical organization providing emergency medical aid to populations in need.

MSF is launching the recruitment of a Psychologist for a temporary replacement for the activities in Dagahaley.

The selected candidate will be reporting to the e Mental Health Supervisor.

Main Purpose

Providing psychological support to patients according to MSF principles, standards and procedures in order to improve the patients’ mental health.

Accountabilities

• Carrying out evaluation of mental health needs of patients and establishing a diagnosis and a plan of treatment. Informing the patient and his/her relatives about the possible consequences of the illness and the drug treatment to follow and referring patients to other health professionals whenever necessary, in order to provide the most appropriate treatment and improve the patient's condition
• Implementing the Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) protocol, identifying possible victims of SGBV and referring them to the medical team so that they receive the necessary treatment.
• Providing psychological support and psychotherapy sessions (individual, family, group) to patients according to MSF protocols in order to improve their mental health conditions
• Assisting and training staff members and resourceful people whenever necessary in order to enhance the scope of MH activities. Working in close collaboration with translators in order to ensure appropriate terminology and behaviour during sessions
• Collecting statistical and monitoring data about mental health activities
• Informing the supervisor and the medical team about any issues or problems that may arise related to patients’ treatment in order to provide the best possible solution from a medical perspective
• Ensuring that all patient information is kept confidential.

Context Specific Accountabilities

• The Mental Health Department is located within the 100-bed capacity Dagahaley Hospital that serves a catchment population of approximately 92,000 which includes the refugee population in Dagahaley and the other camps, the local non-refugee population, the mother Garissa county, and the neighbouring, Wajir South and Wajir counties- not forgetting Somali nationals who access the camp for medical reasons from across the border.
• The mental health department forms the vanguard of the primary health intervention for patients with mental health conditions at both in-patient and out-patient settings.
• The psychologist and Mental health officers and ther supervisor work in close collaboration with the two health posts to ensure patients with mental health conditions are identified and access care in the Mental Health Department.
• The Psychologist has a responsibility to play in the community in terms of mental health promotion, sensitization and empowering the community health workers to identify cases and refer them to hospital for further care.
• The Psychologist also works under direction of their supervisor to facilitate seamless communications in terms of meeting attendance and patient referrals with partner agencies to ensure best-possible care is offered to the patients.
• The psychologist also plays a role under the COVID-19 pandemic response to provide psychotherapy and counselling services to patients and caretakers and also affected MSF staff, upon request.
• The Mental health officers have an active role in community sensitization and awareness - specifically tailored to address misperceptions about mental health, substance abuse and stigmatization of perceived mental health sufferers.

Requirements

Education:    

Essential degree or diploma in Psychology

Experience:    

• Essential 2 years’ experience minimum as a Psychologist
• Desirable previous experience with MSF or other NGO’s in developing countries

Languages    

Mission language (English) essential and local language (Somali) desirable.

Knowledge    

Desirable computer literacy (Word, Excel and Internet)

Competencies    

• Results and Quality orientation
• Teamwork and Cooperation
• Behavioural Flexibility
• Commitment to MSF Principles
• Stress Management