United Nations Recruits Emergency Medical Officer for Kakuma Clinic
Kakuma, 16 September 2026
The United Nations is recruiting a Kenyan medical officer to lead 24/7 emergency and obstetric care in Kakuma, strengthening critical healthcare services for refugees and host communities.
Scope of Clinical and Medico-Administrative Duties
The newly announced Assistant Medical Officer position under the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) is a critical role established to bolster healthcare services at the Kakuma duty station in Turkana County [1][3][5]. Reporting directly to the Chief of the Joint Medical Service (JMS), the selected candidate will oversee clinical operations at the UNHCR clinic in Kakuma [1][3][5]. The core clinical responsibilities include providing 24/7 emergency response and managing on-call duties to stabilize and treat acute medical, surgical, and obstetric emergencies [1][5]. Additionally, the officer is tasked with conducting pre-placement and periodic medical examinations, managing immunisations, offering travel advice, and coordinating complex medical evacuations [1][3][5].
Administrative Supervision and Local Liaison
Beyond direct clinical intervention, the position carries significant medico-administrative and supervisory weight [1][5]. The incumbent will be responsible for supervising JMS nursing staff, monitoring clinic performance statistics, and ensuring strict adherence to UN medical clearance and sick leave policies [1][5]. Establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with local host-nation medical facilities and regional blood banks is another vital duty [1][3][5]. To build long-term local capacity, the medical officer must design and execute health awareness campaigns, infection prevention protocols, and mass casualty response training programmes, whilst utilising data analytics to track epidemiological trends [1][3][5].
Eligibility Criteria and Candidate Requirements
To qualify for this National Professional Officer (NO-A category) role, applicants must be Kenyan nationals or reside within commuting distance of the Kakuma clinic, as the position is subject to local recruitment rules under Staff Rule 4.4 [3][5]. Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree in medicine and surgery (MBChB) and possess full, active registration with the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council [1][3][5]. Professionally, the UN requires a minimum of two years of progressively responsible clinical experience in field, hospital, or pre-hospital environments, with at least two years specifically spent working within an Accident and Emergency (A&E) unit or an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) [1][5].
Language Skills, Desirable Qualifications, and Compensation
Fluency in both English and Kiswahili at UN Level II (covering reading, writing, listening, and speaking) is mandatory, alongside proficiency in MS Office and database management [1][3][5]. Desirable but non-essential qualifications include a professional certification in occupational health and safety, experience in psychological counselling or stress management, and at least one year of hands-on experience in data analytics [1][3][5]. The estimated starting salary for this position is projected to exceed 3,789 USD per month [3], translating to an estimated annual gross of more than 45468 USD, subject to final organizational approval and local tax policies [3].
Application Process and Key Deadline Discrepancy
Prospective candidates should note a discrepancy regarding the application timeline in public listings. While the UN Talent recruitment platform listed an application deadline of Thursday, 15 October 2026 [3], other recruitment updates updated on 15 September 2026 indicated that the specific Kakuma vacancy was confirmed as no longer open or officially closed [5]. For active openings, the United Nations requires all submissions to be completed online through the ‘Inspira’ platform [3]. Candidates must ensure all information is accurate upon submission, as the platform does not permit subsequent edits or additions [3]. The UN explicitly reiterates that it does not charge any fees at any stage of the application, interview, or training process, nor does it request applicant bank details [3][5].