Adherence Counsellor at International Rescue Committee

Job Description

• The International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) mission is to help the world’s most vulnerable people survive, recover, and gain control of their future. The IRC has been working in Kenya since 1992, providing health care, women’s protection and empowerment, protection, governance and rights, and nutrition services to refugees and the host communities.
• Working under the guidance of the Senior Clinical Officer, the Adherence Counsellor is responsible for ensuring all patients on HAART adhere to treatment by offering routine adherence counseling, dispelling myths about HIV/AIDS & ART, patient education on how ART works, continued counseling, assessing readiness for ART and identify and address factors that might affect adherence.

Key responsibilities

• Assess client’s knowledge on HAART to the medication regime and the importance of adherence.
• Ensure all patients adhere to their treatment regimen using the 5A’s approach in adherence.
• Plan and complete disclosure and or assisted disclosure to clients with difficulties.
• Identify barriers to treatment and assist the client in solving problems that might compromise adherence.
• Provide continuing education to clients regarding HIV/AIDS and ART.
• Development and documentation of an individualized medication schedule and follow up of the plans.
• Ensure adherence services are appropriately booked in the appointment diary and routinely complete the adherence book on daily basis.
• Schedule group adherence sessions with care givers/ treatment buddy for newly enrolled and those with adherence concerns and ensure they are routinely held.
• Ensure all patients are linked to Peer Educators allocated in the facility and all home visits conducted to all newly enrolled clients.
• Working in close collaboration with Community Linkage Officer (CLO) in coordinating facility & community-based support group schedule and ensure groups are meeting monthly.
• Work in close collaboration with CLO to ensure all clients are attached to psychosocial groups whether at facility level or community level.
• Work closely together with the TB/HIV Officer supporting the facility to identify programmatic gaps, prepare activity plans and follow up on implementation.
• Develop monthly adherence reports on the provided reporting templates.
• Work with the CLO to refer patients (both on ART and not on ART) to other services in the referral network.
• Access the support systems, network with other partners, and develop referral directory.
• Routinely update referral logbook with follow-up outcomes and supervise to ensure successful service provision.
• Liaise with other facility departments and participate in HMT meetings to ensure clients have access to other HIV related services.
• Work closely with the CCC/PMTCT/TB teams to identify facility and departmental specific adherence gaps and support these facilities to develop and implement cost - effective facility specific adherence management plans.
• Any other roles assigned by your supervisor

Key Result Areas:

• Proportion of FP uptake among HIV positive women of reproductive age
• Number of defaulters traced, re-started on treatment, and became actively on care.
• Proportion of patients who report undetectable viral load after six months on HAART.
• Proportion of patients on first line ART for 24 months and beyond.

Qualifications

• Diploma in Psychology and Counselling.
• Experience in adherence counseling in a busy HIV program.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Work experience in a high volume CCC clinic.
• Ability to work in hardship areas (Previous experience in a Camp setting will be an added advantage).
• HIV counseling related trainings
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge in computer packages – Microsoft office, Excel and Ms-Access

Required Experience & Competencies:

• Work experience in a high volume CCC clinic.
• Ability to work in hardship areas (Previous experience in a Camp setting will be an added advantage)
• Excellent communication skills.
• Certification with relevant bodies.