Obstetricians and gynaecologists

Although remarkable progress has been made in rebuilding Sierra Leone since the end of the conflict in 2002, the decade-long civil war caused extensive damage. The health system was decimated by the conflict, with structures destroyed and staff lost. Sierra Leone’s maternal mortality and morbidity rates indicate that it is one of the most dangerous places for a woman to be pregnant and give birth. Lack of access to affordable and good quality basic healthcare is one of the major contributors to maternal death and disease.

Princess Christian Maternity Hospital in Freetown, the only Government tertiary referral hospital, has requested help to improve the quality of services it can provide. You’ll support the current Consultant Gynaecologist to strengthen in-patient and out-patient care, and provide on-the-job training and support to staff at the hospital.

What does the role involve?

Designing and delivering training to support the continuing education of colleagues, midwives, and newly trained medical staff

Supporting the Consultant Gynaecologist to train a team of midwife trainers, to set up a sustainable education programme for midwives

Conducting clinical work to support service delivery for outpatients

Contributing to stronger clinical governance and management systems, such as the design of protocols and policies and practical coaching and mentoring

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll be a registered obstetrician with MRCOG and at least 3-4 years’ experience at registrar level (ST5/6 and above). You’ll need to be confident acting as lead clinician in a challenging clinical environment. You’ll be competent in antenatal, intrapartum and post-partum care and the management of common gynaecological problems. Experience of managing and training others is essential. Members of RCOG in higher specialist training can take this role as a VSO/RCOG Fellowship.

And the rest...

We’ll ask you to commit to 12 months to make a sustainable contribution to maternity services at Princess Christian Maternity Hospital. In return, we’ll give you financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

Tanzanians are striving to improve their quality of life including their standard of healthcare, by tackling serious issues of poverty. However, in remote areas such as Ndolage, access to adequate health services is severely limited. The Maternal Mortality Ratio estimated at 578/100,000 live births remains persistently high in Tanzania. Many women would prefer to give birth at a health facility, but families on subsistence incomes face obstacles including the cost of transport to the health centre, and inadequate facilities and staffing available if and when they manage to reach their destination.

Ndolage Hospital’s overall aim is to provide preventative and curative services to all people living in its catchment area estimated to be in the region of 57,000 people. The hospital is seeking an obstetrician and gynaecologist, willing to take on a leadership role in the area of maternal and reproductive care to strengthen and develop its services.

What does the role involve?

• Lead the Maternal and Reproductive Health Unit.
• Carry out on-the-job training for Assistant Medical Officers, Clinical Officers and Nurse-Midwives on the staff, including emergency obstetrics and complications of early pregnancy.
• Conduct hospital duties including ward rounds, surgery, teaching and supervising.
• Where relevant, review and make recommendations regarding protocols on prenatal care and emergency obstetrics.

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll be a registered obstetrician with a minimum of 3 years’ experience at registrar level (ST5/6 and above). You’ll need to be competent in basic antenatal, intrapartum and post-partum care and the management of common gynaecological problems.

Experience of training others is essential. Members of RCOG in higher specialist training can take this role as an RCOG/VSO Fellowship.

And the rest...

Ndolage Hospital is situated in the remote region of Kagera in the North West of Tanzania. It is located on top of an escarpment with picturesque views and surroundings and a rich habitat of bird life. There’s a small group of shops and a market serving the hospital community.

The small town of Kamachumu, 5km away, provides postal services and a more substantial weekly market. Many people in this region make a living through agriculture. You’ll be living in simple staff accommodation, a self-contained house, near the hospital compound.

Ethiopia has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world. It is estimated that every year, about 25,000 mothers die and 400,000 more suffer long-term disabilities due to complications during pregnancy, delivery or postpartum period. The leading causes of death are abortion, sepsis, haemorrhage, and obstructed labour. The majority of these deaths are preventable with affordable interventions and skilled help. Around 85% of women give birth at home, without any skilled help. As Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Gondar College of Medical Sciences, you’ll help develop undergraduate and postgraduate specialist medical training in obstetrics and gynaecology, and support improvements to clinical service delivery at the on-campus teaching hospital.

What does the role involve?

• Teaching senior undergraduate medical students and postgraduate students training in Emergency Surgery and Obstetrics
• Providing on the job training and mentoring for medical students and colleagues in the hospital.
• Teaching the emergency obstetrics module of the MSc Midwifery programme.
• Supporting the development of in-service training.

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll be a registered obstetrician with at least three years’ experience at registrar level (ST5/6 and above). You’ll need to be competent in antenatal, intrapartum and post-partum care and the management of common gynaecological problems. You will need to be confident in your own clinical skills and management techniques. Experience of teaching medical students is essential, and this role would suit someone with a passion for education. You will need a flexible and creative approach to solving problems and ability to work in a resource-poor environment. You will also need patience and resilience and the ability to build strong relationships with colleagues.

And the rest...

The VSO/RCOG Fellowship Scheme provides specialist trainee Obstetrician Gynaecologists with the opportunity to take  6-12 months out of their training programme to complete a VSO placement.  VSO placements are developed with local hospitals based on their needs, with a strong focus on training local colleagues and sustainable development.  You will gain valuable experience in conducting surgical procedures, exposure to tropical medicine and the opportunity to develop your management and training skills.  

VSO volunteers are supported by an in-country Programme Office and RCOG will also arrange for mentors both in the UK and in the country of your placement to give you structured support to show the clinical, teaching, managerial skills and competencies that you gain. VSO will provide you with comprehensive preparatory training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, shared accommodation, insurance and more.

Gambia is the smallest country in mainland Africa and ranks 168 out of 182 countries in the UNDP's human development index.  The risk of maternal death is one in 32. The Royal Victoria Teaching hospital is the only tertiary referral and teaching hospital in the country. The hospital has a shortage of health professionals, in particular specialist doctors who can contribute to teaching Gambian medical students during their medical training.

What does the role involve?

• Working together with local staff to improve the delivery and management of essential obstetric care.
• Carrying out clinical duties including  complex deliveries and obstetrics procedures.
• On the job training to health workers in obstetric and gynaecological procedures.
• Diagnosing and treating pregnancy related issues.
• Promoting antenatal healthcare to patients.
• Advising women on sexual and reproductive healthcare and birth control methods.

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll be a registered obstetrician gynaecologist with at least 4 years specialist experience (ST4 and above). You will need to be confident in your own clinical skills as you will be working unsupervised and expected to teach medical students.  Experience of training others is essential.  You will need a flexible and creative approach to solving problems and ability to work in a resource-poor environment. You will also need patience and resilience and the ability to build strong relationships with colleagues. Although English is spoken by most of the hospital staff, you will need to learn the local language so you can communicate with patients.

And the rest...

The VSO/RCOG Fellowship Scheme provides specialist trainee Obstetrician Gynaecologists with the opportunity to take 6-12 months out of their training programme to complete a VSO placement.  VSO placements are developed with local hospitals based on their needs, with a strong focus on training local colleagues and sustainable development.  You will gain valuable experience in conducting surgical procedures, exposure to tropical medicine and the opportunity to develop your management and training skills. 

VSO volunteers are supported by an in-country Programme Office and RCOG will also arrange for mentors both in the UK and in the country of your placement to give you structured support to show the clinical, teaching, managerial skills and competencies that you gain. VSO will provide you with comprehensive preparatory training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, shared accommodation, insurance and more.

Tanzania’s maternal mortality rate remains persistently high, with 578 women dying for every 100,000 live births. Latest figures from World Health Organisation suggest that maternal mortality rates are 50% worse in Tanzania than the average for Sub-Saharan Africa. Most women would prefer to give birth at a health facility, but face multiple barriers, including the distance to the nearest facility, the lack of affordable transport at the time of labour and both formal and informal charges. Insufficient numbers of health facilities are equipped and staffed according to the minimal standards for providing emergency obstetric care. Mwembeladu Maternity hospital is the only tertiary level hospital in Zanzibar and caters for a huge proportion of uncomplicated births. While it has a newly renovated theatre there are insufficient obstetricians to allow the theatre to be fully utilized.

What does the role involve?

·        As the sole Obstetrician Gynaecologist, you will work together with local staff to improve the delivery and management of essential obstetric care, and handling of gynaecological problems.

·        You will provide on-the-job training and supervision to clinical officers in areas such as emergency obstetrics, preventing mother to child transmission of HIV, management of sexually transmitted infections.

·        Organising specific training for clinical officers in obstetric and gynaecological surgical techniques

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll be a registered obstetrician gynaecologist with experience at Registrar level (ST5/6 or above).  You will need to be confident in your own clinical skills and management techniques  as you will be the only Obstetrician Gynaecologist in the hospital.  Experience of training others is essential.  You will need a flexible and creative approach to solving problems and the ability to work in a resource-poor environment. You will also need patience and resilience and the ability to build strong relationships with colleagues. Although English is widely spoken by hospital staff, you’ll need the willingness to learn Swahili to interact with patients and the community.

And the rest...

The VSO/RCOG Fellowship Scheme provides specialist trainee Obstetrician Gynaecologists with the opportunity to take  6-12 months out of their training programme to complete a VSO placement.  VSO placements are developed with local hospitals based on their needs, with a strong focus on training local colleagues and sustainable development.  You will gain valuable experience in conducting surgical procedures, exposure to tropical medicine and the opportunity to develop your management and training skills. 

VSO volunteers are supported by an in-country Programme Office and RCOG will also arrange for mentors both in the UK and in the country of your placement to give you structured support to show the clinical, teaching, managerial skills and competencies that you gain. VSO will provide you with comprehensive preparatory training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, shared accommodation, insurance and more.