HIV Counseling and Testing Officer (HCT Officer) - Sidama Region

Background:

AIDS Healthcare Foundation is a global not-for-profit organization that provides cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to more than 2 million patients in 45 countries and is headquartered at Los Angeles, California, USA.

Since 1987, AHF has cared for thousands of people living with HIV and AIDS worldwide. As we create and implement unparalleled programs in new communities globally, we expand delivery of healthcare and influence over strategies with the sole aim of saving more lives.

Currently, AHF-Ethiopia is supporting 17 high-load public health facilities, 1 NGO, and 1 AHF-owned clinic and providing standardized comprehensive HIV care and prevention services to more than 60,000 clients in Addis Ababa, Oromia, Amhara, and Sidama Regions. The organization is looking for experienced candidates to work in health facilities where it is providing programmatic supports on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care for the following position.

Objective:

AHF–Ethiopia has agreed with Sidama Regional health Bureau to partner in maximizing the effort of HIV prevention, treatment and care provided in different service units of three of its hospitals namely Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Adare General Hospital and Yirgalem Hospital and Medical College. The assigned candidates will execute the following respective duties and responsibilities to meet the stated objective.

Position Summary:

The HCT Officer in AHF-Ethiopia Prevention team based at supported health facilities are responsible for the activities of HIV testing programs (Optimized PITC, VCT, ICT, HIVST and others as applicable) and related activities including community-based initiatives. The employee will work in close collaboration with other Prevention Team, Clinical Department and Advocacy/Marketing staff to contribute for the achievement of the country’s HIV prevention and epidemic control plan. The employee will be assisting in supporting the implementation of HIV prevention, testing, linkage and retention strategies, implement & follow planned activities that support improved access to HIV prevention in Ethiopia. The HTC Officer will also implement targeted outreach and community testing in collaboration with the health facility. S/he also ensures un-interrupted supply of commodities (HIV test kit, condom, and others). S/he will oversee all relevant aspects in relation to planning, implementation, and monitoring of Testing, Counseling & Referral, and prevention education services for HIV negative & positive clients through involving site level Performance Monitoring Team and engaging in Multi-Disciplinary Team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct baseline assessment in all HIV Prevention, testing, linkage and retention, summarize the finding and share with Prevention and Advocacy Coordinator and Prevention Program & AU Advocacy Liaison Manager
• Based on the identified gaps, develop site support plan /performance improvement plan, submit, and regularly implement the action points and monitor the outcome
• Ensure the implementation of the day-to-day counseling and testing activities and directly provide, when necessary, with guidance from the Prevention and Advocacy Coordinator and Prevention Program & AU Advocacy Liaison Manager
• Ensure that all relevant materials and equipment for HCT are adequately in place at the facility
• Regularly work on recording and registration of HCT Data on the respective registration and client formats
• Work with other team (data teams, mentor, nurse color and linkage assistant) in preparation of regular quality reports based on reporting tool
• Check the recording and registration of HCT data on the respective registration and client intake forms and provides corrective measures as necessary.
• Ensure continuous HIV Risk Screening Tool (HRST) availability and optimal utilization
• Collection of monthly HRST Cascade performance, analyze on site, develop performance improvement plan by SDP and give to the focal person
• Identify targeted testing using HRST orientation gaps at facility
• Work as Prevention Focal Person in making sure that the universal precautions procedures are in place within the facility
• Ensure nationally endorsed referral slips are available and utilized with in and out of supported health facilities to refer newly diagnosed HIV positives
• Ensure availability and proper utilization of non-ART started patients follow up form at the Hospital and those patients are followed till they start ART
• Conduct longitudinal follow up of newly diagnosed HIV positive patient linkage and retention status tracking tool at the Hospital
• Ensure new HIV positives who declined linkage are filled decline checklist, reasons are analyzed, individual improvement plan is developed and implemented to reduce declined patients at the Hospital
• Ensure daily/regular tracing and tracking of the final linkage status of HIV positive clients who referred to other health facilities, declined, lost before ART started… at the Hospital
• Collaborate with medical team to support missed appointment and interrupted in treatment timely identification and tracking with proper documentation on appropriate registration book at the Hospital
• Monitor and follow regularly, the recording and registration of ICT Data on the respective registration, client intake forms and ICT Service follow up tool timely at the Hospital
• Ensure updated ICT follow up tool insertion to all patients charts at the Hospital
• Ensure daily-based updating of the ICT follow up tool based on index patients and their contacts information at the Hospital. This will include transcription of index patients and their contacts information from other tool to ICT follow up tool and updating on ICT Performance improvement tool
• Collect, analyze and present weekly ICT service using the weekly monitoring tool and present on MDT/PMT with performance improvement plan archived and monitored
• Support the facility to identify ever ICT offered, every elicited contact by risk category (sex partner, children/sibling and parents) with their current testing outcome (positive, negative untested or unknown from patients currently on treatment and identify the ICT Cascade gap
•  Develop strategies to improve cascades with gap (offer ICT for all not offered, conduct elicitation for those who did not elicit their sexual partners and children, test those who are not tested) and share to the supervisor
• Intimately monitor the implementation ICT testing improvement activities on daily basis and report to facility management and prevention team
• Ensure there is regular patient screening for STI at OPDs including ART/PMTCT and those diagnosed with STI at MOPDs are treated for STI, tested for HIV with their sexual partners at the hospital and supported health facilities
• Involve and ensure temporary staff who fulfill the requirement as per the JD are registered; Standard questions are prepared and examined in collaboration with appropriate facility and staff
• Work with temporary AHF Staff assigned at the facility on daily basis, provide follow up and support for them on the areas they are assigned
• Ensure all clients’ HIV test results are documented on the appropriate Test Log, All HIV Positives are documented and followed on Positive Tracking Register and reported to the HIV Testing Support Program to the supervisor using all shared monitoring tool
• Conduct regular/monthly mentorship to testing unit, provide onsite feedback and report to the Prevention and Advocacy Coordinator and Prevention Program & AU Liaison Manager on monthly basis
• Assists in other activities including ART service provision, linkage, and retention, adherence support, etc. to fill gaps whenever there is a demand from the AHF Ethiopia team
• Conduct regular analysis of planned HIV prevention, testing by modalities (PITC, VCT and ICT), positive identification, linkage and retention from target and cascade, continuously develop improvement plan based on site specific gap, present on facility MDT/PMT where facility directors lead the meeting
• Provide assistance in other outreach HCT activities as deemed necessary, especially in support of HIV prevention events, campaigns, mass testing, mobilization, etc.
• Take part in the preparation of AHF-Ethiopia’s country HIV prevention and advocacy program plan in joint with AHF-Ethiopia HIV Prevention Team
• Execute any related additional duties assigned by Prevention and Advocacy Coordinator and Prevention Program & AU Advocacy Liaison Manager

Education, Qualification, and Experience:

• Minimum of Bachelor of Science in Public Health, Nursing field of studies from a recognized university; Having further education such as MPH, Reproductive health, Epidemiology, Social Sciences background, etc. would be an advantage
• At least four years’ experience in a field directly related to HIV/AIDS and above specified responsibilities of which three years is facility level experience
• Solid knowledge and experience on HIV Testing and Counseling
• Thorough understanding of HIV programs
• Demonstrate experience in designing, implementing & monitoring HTC programs & activities

Core Competencies and Specific Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and keen to work with good team spirit
• Proficient in computer & internet skills, including word processing, database and presentation software; experience with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and statistical analysis programs
• Effective time management and meeting deadlines without compromising quality
• Must be highly organized and demonstrate multi-tasking ability
• Flexible, proactive and able to organize work independently with minimum supervision
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills with good command of English & local languages

Application Procedure:

Interested candidates should apply by email to: Regional Human Resources Manager – AHF Africa Bureau, through: Globalhr.Africa@ahf.org

Applicants are expected to send their documents to the above stated address within ten (10) days of the announcement on Ethiojobs Website.

The application is required to include cover letter of interest, detailed updated CV, copy of academic documents and other credentials, in one file attachment (PDF or Word format), that must be submitted before the deadline.

NB:-

1. Please do not forget to write title of the position for which you are applying on the subject line of your email so that it will be directed to the right department.
2. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview. Phone calls, physical visit to the organization about the result are strictly forbidden and might be reason for disqualification.