Adherence Counsellor (9 Positions) at The Center for International Health, Education and Biosecurity (CIHEB)

Overall Function: 

Reporting to the facility in-charge, the main responsibility of the Adherence Counsellor is to provide education on HIV and HIV-related topics and adherence counseling services at health facility level within a HIV Comprehensive Care Centre (CCC).

Roles and Responsibilities: 

• Participate in retesting of newly identified HIV positive clients.
• Provide continuous psychosocial support as well as treatment preparation to clients in the CCC.
• Coordinate patient tracking activities including appointment booking, defaulter tracing activities, home visits, and referrals of patients where necessary.
• Identify and address barriers to adherence and strengthen adherence counseling for all patient populations, including patients with viremia, adolescents, and children.
• Organize and facilitate support group sessions for infected and affected clients including priority groups i.e., facility ART groups, Treatment literacy classes, discordant couples, adolescent and young people, patients with viremia, and children.
• Support clients disclose their HIV status with a focus on pediatrics and adolescents.
• Facilitate the delivery of Positive Health Dignity & Prevention (PHDP) information to clients enrolled in CCC.
• Ensure proper documentation of client records, registers and reports.
• Ensure all contacts of index clients with unknown HIV status are tested and documented in clients records.
• Supervise the and peer educators to optimize performance.
• Conduct CQI activities to improve gaps identified based on data.
• Work closely with community strategy team to optimize on physical tracing of the clients.

Academic Qualifications: 

• Diploma in Counseling Psychology
• NASCOP Certified HTC (HIV Testing and Counselling) Counsellor

Experience and Skills: 

• Two (2) years’ experience, one (1) year of which should be as an Adherence Counsellor in HIV service delivery
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Computer literacy