Zim-TTECH
Deadline: 27 September 2023.
Background:
We are seeking highly qualified and experienced applicants for the position of Facility Priority Services Focal Person for the anticipated HIV Care and Treatment program. The opportunities have arisen in Harare x23, Mashonaland Central x4 (Mazowe x3, Mt Darwin x1), Mashonaland East x9 (Goromonzi x2, Marondera x2, Seke x5), Mashonaland West x11 (Chegutu x2, Kadoma-Sanyati x2, Makonde x2, Hurungwe x4, Zvimba x1), Matabeleland North x3 (Bubi x1, Tsholotsho x2). Zim-TTECH’s activities occur primarily in the technical areas of health system strengthening; epidemiology and strategic information strengthening, health workforce development; operations research and evaluation; and prevention, care, and treatment of infectious diseases.
Position Summary:
The Facility Priority Services Focal Persons shall be seconded to MoHCC facilities for purposes of complementing and closing HRH gaps in the HIV services delivery and shall support 80% of the activities at facility level and 20% at community within the catchment area. The position holder shall provide direct service in support of both facility/community testing including index testing, linkage to care for children/adolescents (0-15 years) and PMTCT clients to ART, retaining children/adolescents and PMTCT clients in care and on ART, viral load monitoring, linking clients to preventive therapy and treatment, defaulter tracking and accurate documentation in line with tracked indicators. He/she shall supervise and coordinate the activities of the CLFs and shall report to the District Program Improvement Officer.
Responsibilities:
HIV testing, Linking WLHIV into ART and ART initiation.
- Providing HIV Testing Services (HTS) at PMTCT entry points according to MoHCC guidelines and this shall be done in close collaboration with MoHCC facility nurses and Community Nursing Department.
- Screening and testing all eligible pregnant women visiting the facility for ANC booking in conjunction with DSD/MoHCC Primary Counsellors.
- Strengthening index testing of biological children, and sexual partner testing at health facilities and in the community.
- Improving PMTCT indicators by ensuring that all pregnant women booking at facility are tested for HIV and their exposed infants are tested at birth, 6 weeks, 9 months, 18 months, 12 weeks post cessation of breast feeding and conducting follow-up to final exposure outcome.
- Coordinating with CLFs, CATS, and other health professionals in identifying high risk population that need sensitization on HIV.
- Improving linkages to ART by ensuring all pregnant and lactating HIV positive women including HIV diagnosed infants/children(0-15years) are initiated on ART according to MoHCC ART guidelines.
- Offering Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to all eligible pregnant and lactating mothers in close collaboration with Primary Counsellors including follow-up of defaulters.
- Promoting the uptake of Differentiated Service Delivery (DSD) ART models to decongest healthcare facilities and improve retention.
- Collaborating with Zvandiri cadres, Youth Friendly organization and OVC partner members to facilitate activities that enhance access to services for the target population.
3rd 95 Continuation of Treatment and Viral load Monitoring
- Ensuring that all clients are entered in e-HR and all services provided are recorded electronically.
- Working with QI coaches in scaling up the implementation of facility level viral load quality improvement activities for children/adolescents, pregnant and breastfeeding women on ART.
- Providing Viral load supplies, cohort based VL bleeding, mechanisms for follow up of missing VL results and ensuring that all results for the children/adolescents, pregnant and breastfeeding women are properly filed and/or recorded in the client file.
- Tracking of children/adolescents, pregnant and breastfeeding women who miss their scheduled VL bleeding, have unsuppressed viral load, and EAC sessions defaulters and document follow up outcomes in the tracking register.
- Utilizing the defaulter tracking SOP and tracking all pregnant and breastfeeding, children/adolescent clients who miss their scheduled ART resupply appointments using SMS, phone calls and physical home visits.
- Documenting all follow up outcomes in the appointment diary, tracking register, essential changes register and green book/e-HR.
- Triangulation of the appointment diary, pharmacy register, tracking register, essential changes register and green book/e-HR on weekly basis to update active clients who may have been missed by the system.
- Managing stock of all ARV medicines and timely reporting shortages to avoid interruption of treatment.
- Conducting quarterly facility e-HR/folder review for accurate data reporting and management of all clients with outstanding services and documentation gaps.
- Writing activity reports that will be shared with the Health Facility staff, District Nursing Officer, Program mentors, and Program Coordinators for further planning and decision making on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience
- PCNs or Registered General Nurse (RGN) with valid Nurses Council of Zimbabwe registration.
- A valid Rapid HIV testing certificate is mandatory.
- Minimum of 2 years’ experience in provision of HIV care and treatment services and in working with MoHCC or health-related implementing partners.
- Training in quality improvement methodologies and experience in supporting community activities is an added advantage.
- Should be able to coordinate activities of Community Linkages Facilitator (CLF), CATS (Community ART Treatment Supporters) and Health Promoters at facility and community level.
- Must have computer skills in Word, Excel and Internet and be able to compile statistics and reports at specified time frames as required by the supervisors.
- Should be able to work in a team and to initiate all consenting and prepare HIV positive clients identified on ART.
- Must be hard working and be able to work with minimal supervision and under pressure.
TO APPLY
Interested candidates should submit their application letter, detailed Curriculum Vitae, and certified copies of certificates to fpsfp@zimttech.org
Candidates should apply to only one district of choice.