I-CRECT Researcher

Recruitment: I-CRECT Researcher

Project: Interventions to decrease CRE colonization and transmission between hospitals, households, communities, and domesticated animals.

1. Position: Researcher

2. Institution and Project

The Hanoi University of Public Health (HUPH, www.huph.edu.vn) was formally established in 2001 as the sole university in Vietnam for developing modern public health as an agent of change for protecting human health through training and research. During the past decade, HUPH has made remarkable progress in offering degree programs in public health (BSc, MSc, and PhD) and hospital management (MSc), as well as in translating research findings to inform policy. The Center for Public Health and Ecosystem Research (CENPHER, http://cenpher.huph.edu.vn) is a research center at HUPH. The mission of CENPHER is to study the health and well- being impacts of environmental, ecological, cultural, socio-economic, and demographic factors using the integrative approaches of Ecohealth/One Health with special focus on South East Asia, with links to common issues in Africa. We focus on the links between health and agriculture, infectious and zoonotic diseases, chemical pollution, and food safety and nutrition, from the lab to the field.

The project “Interventions to decrease Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) colonization and transmission between hospitals, households, communities, and domesticated animals.” (I-CRECT) aim is to reduce and evaluate transmission of CRE from discharged patients to HH members, community, livestock and the environment through a Household Education Communication Hygiene Intervention (HECHI). To assess relatedness of isolates in different one health departments, including transmission of colistin resistance from animals to humans. This project is coordinated by the Center for Public Health and Ecosystem Research (CENPHER), Hanoi University of Public Health (HUPH) in collaboration with the Vietnam National Children Hospital (VNCH). The project will leverage our ethos and track record of equal Asian-European partnerships to build integrated interventions to reduce AMR colonization and transmission from ICUs to the community and to domesticated animals. We aim to disentangle the high rate of CRE and colistin resistance colonization and subsequent HAI, which cause high rate of mortality, long hospital stays and costs by interventions and clinical studies as mentioned in the following work packages with a One Health perspective.

3. Job description

The researcher will take part in project activities with a main focus on the following objectives: 1) to develop and implement a hospital CRE admission screening, cohort care and IPC improvement program and evaluate intervention effect on CRE acquisition, HAI rate, treatment outcome and cost-effectiveness; 2) to in a randomized control trial assess the effect of an intervention (WP3) to decrease CRE transmission
from CRE colonised index patients at discharge to hh’s members, domesticated animals and environment through consecutive CRE screening using biological samples cultured on carbapenem and colistin selective media; 3) In collaboration with local health authorities, develop and implement a Household Education Communication Hygiene Intervention (HECHI) to improve personal hygiene, animal biosecurity and decrease unindicated AB use in the human and animal sector, ensuring that interventions benefit both genders equally; 3) to assess the effectiveness of existing hospital wastewater treatment systems in reducing discharged AMR pathogens and genes and propose in collaboration with relevant stakeholders optimum treatment method(s) providing the best reduction rate as an intervention to scale-up; and determine the effect of the cohort care intervention performed in reducing CRE and CoRE levels in hospital effluents. The field work will be in the project sites of Hanoi and Thai Binh province.

Activities will be done in close collaboration with experts VNCH, Linköpings universitet, Karolinska Institutet, University of Tübingen, The French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), and University of Copenhagen with participation of the Thai Binh Children Hospital, Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and local policy and decision makers.

4. Required qualifications and skills

• Master’s degree in preventive medicine, public health, veterinary medicine or veterinary public health, environmental health, and biology.
• Good English writing and verbal communication skills, computer experience including word-processing, spreadsheets, PowerPoint, and data analyses.
• Experiences in publication (conference or paper) and field work are preferred
• Ability to work independently and accurately in the relevant aspects.
• Ability to travel to field sites or other places, if required.
• Team player, willingness to work under pressure and out of office hours, if the need arises.
• Only Vietnamese candidates are eligible.

5. Work Place and Compensation

• Work at CENPHER, HUPH, 1A Duc Thang road, Duc Thang ward, North Tu Liem, Hanoi, Vietnam and regular visits to VNCH, Thai Binh province.
• Competitive salary based on experience

6. Duration: Full time, 2 years, starting from November 2022

7. Application and Further Information

Applicants are invited to send the following documents through email:

• A curriculum vitae with recent 4x6 cm photo, including list of scientific publications (if available)
• A letter of motivation
• Copies of main degrees or relevant certificates
• Names and contact information of two references

To: Dr. Pham Duc Phuc,

Center for Public Health and Ecosystem Research - Hanoi University of Public Health
Vietnam One Health University Network (VOHUN) NCO
1A Duc Thang, Duc Thang ward, North Tu Liem, Hanoi, Vietnam.
T: (+84) 24.62733162, F: (+84) 24.62733172, Mobile:(+84) 904 049969
Email: [email protected] & [email protected]

Deadline: Oct 20th 2022

Any questions about application, contact Ms. Tran Hoang Yen, mob: (+84) 0328507505, email: [email protected]. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview.

Further information:

https://cenpher.huph.edu.vn/
https://vohun.org/