Medical Officer job at Babies and Mothers Alive Foundation (BAMA)

Position Purpose

The Medical Officer will provide technical leadership and day-to-day support for the planning, implementation, coordination, and monitoring of integrated Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) interventions, with a strong focus on Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC), Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR), and the Greater Masaka Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) across regional, district, facility, and community levels.

Working closely with Masaka Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) as the regional hub, the Medical Officer will support the functionality of a hub-and-spoke maternity and newborn care network, strengthening clinical readiness, referral coordination, emergency communication, and accountability across lower-level facilities and designated CEmONC sites in the Greater Masaka region. The role emphasizes ensuring that CEmONC facilities are operationally functional, capable of delivering the full signal functions, and effectively linked to referring facilities and communities.

The role will ensure that BAMA Foundation’s interventions align with national policies and guidelines and donor priorities, while strengthening emergency care systems, referral pathways, service quality, and local capacity. The Medical Officer will play a critical role in translating MPDSR findings into actionable response, strengthening facility and district accountability, and ensuring timely, coordinated, and high-quality care for obstetric and newborn emergencies across the LMNS.

a) Strategic Planning, Management, and Coordination

• Support the design and implementation of RMNCAH and CEmONC-focused strategies, including SOPs, clinical protocols, referral tools, infrastructure improvements, and governance mechanisms.
• Participate in regional and district planning, budgeting, and performance review meetings, ensuring CEmONC, MPDSR response actions, and LMNS priorities are integrated into workplans.
• Work closely with the Director of RMNCAH Programs to coordinate implementation plans, sequencing of interventions, and stakeholder engagement.
• Serve as a technical liaison between BAMA Foundation and RMNCAH stakeholders in the Greater Masaka region, including Masaka Regional Referral Hospital and CEmONC facilities.
• Coordinate with administrative and operations teams to ensure logistical readiness for emergency care, supervision, and referral system strengthening activities.

b) Technical Assistance to enhance CEmONC functionality

• Work closely with Masaka Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) as the regional hub to operationalize a hub-and-spoke capacity building and referral model linking Health Center IVs, general hospitals, and community referral points.
• Support functional CEmONC readiness at designated facilities by strengthening:

o   Availability and functionality of theatre services, blood, oxygen, and essential equipment

o   24/7 staffing models and duty rosters for obstetric, anaesthesia, theatre, and newborn care teams

o   Clinical adherence to national CEmONC guidelines and protocols

o   Improve the functionality of Newborn Intensive Care Units and Newborn Special Care Units as per MOH guidance.

• Support facilities to improve clinical management of obstetric and neonatal emergencies, including:

o   Caesarean section readiness and peri-operative safety

o   Management of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH)

o   Management of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (PET)

o   Neonatal resuscitation and stabilization prior to referral

• Provide targeted mentorship, coaching, and supportive supervision to maternity, theatre, and newborn care teams at both hub and spoke facilities.
• Support inter-facility clinical consultations, feedback loops, and case reviews between referring facilities and MRRH to improve continuity and quality of care.
• Strengthen clinical governance mechanisms, including emergency drills, referral readiness assessments, duty rosters, and clinical audits.

c) MPDSR Strengthening with Emphasis on Response (R)

• Strengthen implementation of MPDSR with a deliberate focus on the Response (R) component at facility, district, and regional levels.
• Support facilities and districts to:

o   Conduct timely, high-quality maternal and perinatal death reviews

o   Develop clear, costed, and time-bound MPDSR action plans

o   Assign and track accountability for implementation of MPDSR recommendations

• Work with Masaka Regional Referral Hospital and referring facilities to ensure MPDSR findings—particularly those related to referral delays, CEmONC readiness, and inter-facility coordination—are translated into concrete response actions within the hub-and-spoke network.
• Track implementation of MPDSR actions and support corrective measures related to:

o   Delays in decision-making, transport, and care provision

o   Clinical practice gaps and system failures

o   Referral breakdowns and communication failures

• Integrate MPDSR findings into Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) processes and district performance review platforms.

d) Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) Strengthening

• Strengthen the Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) by anchoring it around Masaka Regional Referral Hospital as the CEmONC hub, ensuring effective coordination across the hub-and-spoke network.
• Support standardized referral pathways, communication protocols, and escalation mechanisms between community, lower-level facilities, and CEmONC centers.
• Strengthen ambulance dispatch, emergency transport coordination, and referral feedback mechanisms in collaboration with MRRH and district health teams.
• Support joint planning, case review, and performance review meetings involving MRRH and spoke facilities to address referral bottlenecks and improve emergency response times.
• Work with district and facility teams to improve emergency preparedness, surge capacity, and coordination during obstetric and neonatal emergencies.

e) Service Delivery and Quality Improvement

• Apply Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approaches to identify bottlenecks in RMNCAH and CEmONC service delivery and support scale-up of high-impact practices.
• Promote rational use, accountability, and reporting of RMNCAH and emergency care commodities in line with Ministry of Health guidelines.
• Support integration of RMNCAH services with cross-cutting priorities, including gender, nutrition, WASH, infection prevention and control (IPC), and healthcare waste management.

f) Health Systems Strengthening

• Collaborate with supply chain, health workforce, and leadership teams at the regional and district, and facility levels to strengthen systems supporting CEmONC and RMNCAH delivery, including:

o   Commodity and blood availability

o   Equipment functionality and maintenance

o   Human resource deployment and skills mix

o   Facility and district governance structures

• Collaborate with MRRH leadership and district health teams to strengthen regional clinical governance, referral accountability, and system learning across the CEmONC network.
• Build the capacity of health managers to routinely use service delivery and outcome data for targeted technical support and performance improvement.
• Support data-driven micro-planning to reduce inequities in access to emergency obstetric and newborn care.

g) Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)

• Work with the MEL team to strengthen HMIS reporting, data quality, and routine data use for RMNCAH, CEmONC, MPDSR, and referral indicators.
• Contribute technical inputs to reports, dashboards, and learning products.
• Support documentation and dissemination of lessons learned and best practices related to CEmONC functionality, MPDSR response, and LMNS strengthening.

h) Partnerships, Community Engagement, and Accountability

• Strengthen partnerships with district health teams, Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, community-based organizations, and other partners to support coordinated RMNCAH and emergency care interventions.
• Promote community engagement, social accountability, and demand for timely, quality maternity and newborn services, including emergency care.

i) Safeguarding

• Uphold BAMA Foundation’s safeguarding policies and reporting procedures, ensuring a safe, respectful, and inclusive work environment.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) or equivalent medical degree from a recognized institution.
• Full registration with the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council (UMDPC) and a valid practicing license.
• Postgraduate training in Public Health, Health Systems Management, or a related field is an added advantage.
• At least 5 years of progressive experience in RMNCAH programming, with demonstrable involvement in CEmONC service delivery, referral systems, or emergency obstetric and newborn care in low-resource settings.
• Proven experience working with district health systems, regional referral hospitals, and Ministry of Health structures.
• Experience working with donor-funded health programs and familiarity with donor compliance and reporting requirements.

Technical Skills and Experience

• Strong technical expertise in CEmONC, including clinical governance, readiness assessments, and strengthening delivery of signal functions.
• Practical experience in MPDSR implementation, with demonstrated ability to strengthen the Response (R) component and track implementation of action plans.
• Solid understanding of Local Maternity and Neonatal Systems (LMNS), referral networks, and hub-and-spoke service delivery models.
• Experience in health systems strengthening, including:

o   Referral systems and emergency transport coordination

o   Health workforce mentorship and supportive supervision

o   Commodity, blood, and equipment readiness for emergency care

o   Facility and district clinical governance structures

• Competence in applying Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) methodologies in RMNCAH and emergency care settings.
• Experience in integrating RMNCAH with cross-cutting areas, including gender, nutrition, WASH, IPC, and healthcare waste management.
• Strong skills in HMIS, data quality improvement, routine data use, and performance review processes.

Core Competencies

• Ability to bridge clinical practice and health systems strengthening to improve CEmONC functionality and emergency care outcomes.
• Demonstrated capacity to translate MPDSR findings into concrete response actions and measurable improvements.
• Strong ability to work within hub-and-spoke networks and coordinate effectively with regional referral hospitals, district health teams, and facility leadership.
• Ability to identify system bottlenecks, design practical solutions, and adapt interventions in complex, resource-constrained environments.
• Strong interpersonal and facilitation skills to engage clinicians, managers, community stakeholders, and partners.
• Ability to interpret service delivery and outcome data to guide planning, supervision, and quality improvement.
• Proven ability to mentor multidisciplinary teams and strengthen local ownership and sustainability.
• Commitment to ethical standards, safeguarding principles, and respectful engagement with communities and colleagues.
• Ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary and multi-institutional teams.

D. Desirable Attributes

• Familiarity with Uganda MOH RMNCAH Sharpened Plan II, CEmONC signal functions, MPDSR processes, and Emergency Medical Services frameworks.
• Experience in proposal development, technical writing, and learning documentation.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently within the Greater Masaka region.

• Support the design and implementation of RMNCAH and CEmONC-focused strategies, including SOPs, clinical protocols, referral tools, infrastructure improvements, and governance mechanisms.
• Participate in regional and district planning, budgeting, and performance review meetings, ensuring CEmONC, MPDSR response actions, and LMNS priorities are integrated into workplans.
• Work closely with the Director of RMNCAH Programs to coordinate implementation plans, sequencing of interventions, and stakeholder engagement.
• Serve as a technical liaison between BAMA Foundation and RMNCAH stakeholders in the Greater Masaka region, including Masaka Regional Referral Hospital and CEmONC facilities.
• Coordinate with administrative and operations teams to ensure logistical readiness for emergency care, supervision, and referral system strengthening activities.
• Work closely with Masaka Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) as the regional hub to operationalize a hub-and-spoke capacity building and referral model linking Health Center IVs, general hospitals, and community referral points.
• Support functional CEmONC readiness at designated facilities by strengthening: Availability and functionality of theatre services, blood, oxygen, and essential equipment; 24/7 staffing models and duty rosters for obstetric, anaesthesia, theatre, and newborn care teams; Clinical adherence to national CEmONC guidelines and protocols; Improve the functionality of Newborn Intensive Care Units and Newborn Special Care Units as per MOH guidance.
• Support facilities to improve clinical management of obstetric and neonatal emergencies, including: Caesarean section readiness and peri-operative safety; Management of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH); Management of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (PET); Neonatal resuscitation and stabilization prior to referral.
• Provide targeted mentorship, coaching, and supportive supervision to maternity, theatre, and newborn care teams at both hub and spoke facilities.
• Support inter-facility clinical consultations, feedback loops, and case reviews between referring facilities and MRRH to improve continuity and quality of care.
• Strengthen clinical governance mechanisms, including emergency drills, referral readiness assessments, duty rosters, and clinical audits.
• Strengthen implementation of MPDSR with a deliberate focus on the Response (R) component at facility, district, and regional levels.
• Support facilities and districts to: Conduct timely, high-quality maternal and perinatal death reviews; Develop clear, costed, and time-bound MPDSR action plans; Assign and track accountability for implementation of MPDSR recommendations.
• Work with Masaka Regional Referral Hospital and referring facilities to ensure MPDSR findings—particularly those related to referral delays, CEmONC readiness, and inter-facility coordination—are translated into concrete response actions within the hub-and-spoke network.
• Track implementation of MPDSR actions and support corrective measures related to: Delays in decision-making, transport, and care provision; Clinical practice gaps and system failures; Referral breakdowns and communication failures.
• Integrate MPDSR findings into Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) processes and district performance review platforms.
• Strengthen the Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) by anchoring it around Masaka Regional Referral Hospital as the CEmONC hub, ensuring effective coordination across the hub-and-spoke network.
• Support standardized referral pathways, communication protocols, and escalation mechanisms between community, lower-level facilities, and CEmONC centers.
• Strengthen ambulance dispatch, emergency transport coordination, and referral feedback mechanisms in collaboration with MRRH and district health teams.
• Support joint planning, case review, and performance review meetings involving MRRH and spoke facilities to address referral bottlenecks and improve emergency response times.
• Work with district and facility teams to improve emergency preparedness, surge capacity, and coordination during obstetric and neonatal emergencies.
• Apply Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approaches to identify bottlenecks in RMNCAH and CEmONC service delivery and support scale-up of high-impact practices.
• Promote rational use, accountability, and reporting of RMNCAH and emergency care commodities in line with Ministry of Health guidelines.
• Support integration of RMNCAH services with cross-cutting priorities, including gender, nutrition, WASH, infection prevention and control (IPC), and healthcare waste management.
• Collaborate with supply chain, health workforce, and leadership teams at the regional and district, and facility levels to strengthen systems supporting CEmONC and RMNCAH delivery, including: Commodity and blood availability; Equipment functionality and maintenance; Human resource deployment and skills mix; Facility and district governance structures.
• Collaborate with MRRH leadership and district health teams to strengthen regional clinical governance, referral accountability, and system learning across the CEmONC network.
• Build the capacity of health managers to routinely use service delivery and outcome data for targeted technical support and performance improvement.
• Support da