Data Collectors – Ethiopian Public Health Institute Vacancy Announcement

Workplace: Oromia region, Gimbichu  woreda

Employment type: Contract

Duration: 60 days

Required number: Fourteen (14)

Gender: Female

Report to:  Food Science and Nutrition Research Directorate

Job Description:

The Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) strives to address nutrition and health-related problems by conducting population-based research and contributing to the effective implementation of the Food and Nutrition Policy and Strategy in Ethiopia. To this end, the Food Science and Nutrition Research Directorate of EPHI in collaboration with the University of California Davis and Nutrition International (NI), a Canadian non-governmental organization, is planning to conduct research on the development and assessment of double-fortified salt with iodine and folic acid to prevent neural tube defects in Ethiopia

Spina bifida and related neural tube defects (NTDs) are caused by abnormalities in the formation of the brain and spinal cord during early embryonic development and result in a high prevalence of fetal loss, infant and young child mortality, severe physical disabilities among survivors, and incalculable suffering of affected individuals and their families. Research conducted in the 1980s-90s demonstrated that NTDs are associated with poor maternal folate status and can be largely prevented by providing additional folate in the form of folic acid supplements or folic acid-fortified foods during the peri-conceptional period.

The prevalence of NTDs is high in Ethiopia, and the national government has issued a series of recommendations to address this problem, including folic acid fortification of staple foods and condiments. Because of the success of salt iodization in Ethiopia, where more than 90% of households consume iodized salt, salt is an attractive vehicle to consider for folic acid fortification. However, no countries currently deploy folic acid fortification of salt as a public health program, and the Ethiopian Government has requested rigorous evaluation of this strategy before initiating a national program to fortify salt with folic acid.

In response to this challenge, we plan to implement a community-based research project in rural Ethiopia, to assess the acceptability and nutritional impact of double-fortified salt containing both iodine and folic acid (DFS-IoFA). During the first phase of the project, we will measure dietary folate consumption and discretionary salt intakes by women in the study communities to determine the appropriate level of folic acid fortification of salt. We will also assess the women’s folate, vitamin B12 and iodine status using blood and urine to assess the suitability of the study communities.

• BSc in Nutrition, Food science and nutrition, Public health and Nurses with a minimum of 1-year experience in health research data collection (nutrition and health)
• Able to understand the tools developed for data collection
• Good communication and teamwork experience

Language: Speaking and reading skills in Afaan Oromo, English and Amhari is mandatory.

Duty station/location: The successful candidate will be based in study location, Oromia, Gibmichu Woreda

Responsibilities:

1. Each data collector will visit the randomly selected women from the list of eligible households.
2. Identify and obtain informed consent from the selected women for a follow-up visit.
3. The data collector would interview all selected women of reproductive age (WRA) in the household and accurately record their responses.
4. Review each questionnaire on the tablet prior to leaving the survey respondents house and make sure all questions are answered correctly.
5. Each data collector would measure height, weight, waist and hip circumference, and blood pressure of the WRA
6. Each data collector would collect weighed food intake of the WRA
7. Each data collector would collect 24-hour urine from the WRA
8. Data collector should be willing to stay at the study site until the end of the study period
9. Each data collector should be willing to stay from 6 am to 7 pm at the home of WRA households.
10. Each data collector is required to ensure the quality and integrity of the data collected are of high standard.
11. Each data collector is required to maintain good team spirit with team members
12. Each data collector should be willing to take additional responsibilities.