Mission and objectives

UNAMA was established in 2002 as a Political/ Peacebuilding Mission, exceptionally) directed and supported by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO).

Context

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is mandated by Security Council Resolution 2626 (2022) which was extended under Resolution 2777 (2025). This mandate tasks UNAMA with the promotion and support of humanitarian assistance in line with humanitarian principles, human rights, equality for women and girls, inclusive governance, resilience, and economic stability, and using our good offices for principled and constructive engagement with all national, regional and global stakeholders in the pursuit of Afghanistan’s peace and stability. UNAMA reaffirms its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan, as well as its continued support for the people of Afghanistan, within the framework of the UN Charter and other international laws and instruments. UNAMA's vision is for a stable and prosperous Afghanistan that lives at peace with itself and its neighbours, where the rights of all the people of Afghanistan are upheld, without discrimination. Medical Services are provided through the Joint Medical Services (JMS), in Kabul and Medical Emergency Response Teams (MERT) in the Field Offices. JMS and MERT are projects that bring together all UN entities to cost-share medical services and as such, achieve economies of scale. With this in mind and given the current heightened security situation in the mission environment, we are seeking candidates with experience in managing these healthcare projects.

Task Description

UNAMA Medical Section is the primary provider of reliable, client-oriented, cost-efficient, and prompt primary health care to all personnel from participating UN entities. The Section aims to protect and promote staff health, sustain, and improve their working capacity, contribute to a safe and healthy working environment, and promote the adaptation of work to the capabilities of staff, taking account of their health status. Under the direct supervision of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), the UN Volunteer Laboratory Technologist will perform a broad range of duties, including but not limited to the following key responsibilities: • Laboratory Testing: Perform a wide range of routine and diagnostic laboratory procedures, including but not limited to phlebotomy, hematology, clinical biochemistry, serology, urinalysis, stool analysis, parasitology, PCR, and others, on available automated, semi-automated, and manual platforms in accordance with ISO 15189 standards for quality and competence in medical laboratories. Review, validate, and communicate laboratory testing results on a timely basis, as well as report any critical test results in accordance with internal procedures for critical test identification and communication. When testing is requested or tests are not available on-site, coordinate and facilitate referral to accredited external laboratories. • Blood Bank: Maintain an emergency response local blood bank as well as an on-site walking blood bank program, which includes pre-screening mission personnel and identifying eligible walking blood donors, to ensure that blood is available in an emergency. Perform donor screening, blood testing, and pre-transfusion testing as needed. • Inventory Management: Maintain a laboratory inventory management system for mission headquarters and regional field office MERT clinics, which includes demand forecasting, stock control, procurement coordination, storage, and disposal of equipment, reagents, consumables, and supplies to ensure laboratory service continuity. Maintain accurate inventory records and ensure proper receipt, labelling, storage, traceability, custody, and accountability for laboratory equipment, reagents, consumables, and supplies. Participate in demand planning and support the end-to-end procurement and supply management of laboratory equipment, reagents, consumables, and supplies, including acquisition planning, requirement preparation and review, shopping cart and purchase order creation, coordinating delivery receipt and inspection, storage and disposal, liaising with vendors, suppliers, and contractors, and contributing to vendor performance evaluation. • Equipment Maintenance: Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for equipment maintenance protocols to ensure continuous laboratory operations, timely maintenance, and the availability of required services and supplies. Oversee the preventive maintenance and service of laboratory equipment, as well as the periodic contractor performance appraisal. • Training: Provide training on relevant point-of-care (POC) testing procedures to Joint Medical Service (JMS) and Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) personnel in regional field offices, including proper use, quality control, interpretation, and documentation of POC test kits. • Documentation and Records Management: Follow all relevant United Nations policies, procedures, administrative issuances, and guidance, as well as ISO 15189 standards, to ensure proper documentation, records management, data protection, and medical confidentiality. • Periodic Reporting: Work closely with the Office of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to compile, analyse, and submit periodic laboratory operational reports and statistics, such as test volumes and distributions, workload indicators, quality-control data, occurrences and incidents, inventory status, equipment downtime, referral-testing activity, and other key laboratory performance indicators (KPIs) such as turnaround time. • Laboratory Quality Management System (LQMS): Create and maintain a laboratory quality management system that addresses pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes such as documentation, specimen traceability, method implementation, quality control, result reporting, equipment and inventory management, occurrence management, corrective action, and continuous improvement. Create, review, update, and apply standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, and job aids for all laboratory processes. • Laboratory Safety: Establish and maintain a laboratory safety program in accordance with the WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual, which includes hazard identification, risk assessment, control measure implementation, safe biological material handling and containment, decontamination, waste management, incident reporting, and staff biosafety training. • Other responsibilities: Support relevant medical administrative functions; participate in work planning and operational reviews; contribute to continuing medical education and in-service training activities; support preparedness for medical emergencies; and undertake other related duties as assigned by the CMO.

Competencies and values

• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

Living conditions and remarks

Afghanistan is a hardship duty station with a volatile security. Living and working conditions for UN volunteers in UNAMA are similar to the living conditions of all other internationally recruited staff members. UN volunteers are provided with safe accommodation in an extensive compound in Kabul with good infrastructure and amenities. The single unit accommodation in UNOCA and other field locations are fully furnished; this includes, furniture, washing machine dryer, hot plate, iron and iron stand, microwave, plates, cups, spoons, cooking utensils, electric kettle. Bedsheets and pillow covers are also provided. Inside the UNOCA compound are four cafeterias, a restaurant, a Supermarket and 3 small shops which provide a variety of groceries, fresh vegetables, imported canned and frozen food on offer. There is also a social center and a gym within the same compound. The Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own towel and other personal accessories including toiletries and medicines which they may not find easily within the supermarkets inside the UNOCA Compound. Some degree of medical service is provided in all UNAMA duty stations. There is a UN clinic in UNAMA/UNOCA complex, and access is granted in Kabul to other private international clinics (when and if needed). Summer in Afghanistan is hot and dry, but winter is the opposite – cold and wet. Therefore, both summer and winter clothing and comfortable boots with insulation are necessary.