HTS Counsellor at International Rescue Committee

Job Description

• The IRC Kenya Country Program is currently implementing the first phase (years 2022-2024) of its ten-year Strategic Action Plan 100 (SAP 100) focusing on five outcome areas which include ensuring safety from harm, improving health, growing access to education, improving economic well-being, and ensuring people have the power to influence decisions that affect their lives. Across these five sequent areas, IRC works to address gender inequality in order to understand and address the outstanding needs and barriers to progress facing women and girls who represent the majority of those displaced.

Job Purpose/Objective.

• Reporting to the facility - in - charge, the HTS Service Provider will provide quality facility and community-based HIV Testing Services (HTS), client referral/linkage to care and treatment as well as other health services, community outreach and index client testing as well as HTS and Linkage data capture and reporting.

Key Responsibilities.

• Mobilize clients for testing at the respective facility service delivery point i.e. OPD, IPD, special clinics and / or community outreach sites through health talks and Behavior Change Communication (BCC) information dissemination to clients.
• Provide appropriate pre, post and appropriate risk reduction counselling to all clients receiving HTS services based on clients need.
• Provide confidential HTS through the Provider Initiated Testing and Counseling (PITC), Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) and targeted family testing approaches.as per the National 2015 HTS and 2016 ART Guidelines.
• Provide appropriate referral to all clients with a high focus on 100% linkage of HIV positive clients to care and treatment.
• Capture relevant client’s data on the Locator Information Form as well as the MOH 100.
• Support and escort HIV positive clients to the CCC for enrollment into care, make follow-ups and report on referral and linkage outcomes on of both HIV negative or unlinked clients respectively.
• The HTS Service Provider will be accountable for Rapid HIV Test kits in their custody.
• Promote preventive interventions through health talks, skills building demonstrations, distribution of Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials and other commodities like condoms and demonstration on correct use.
• Actively participate in all HTS data review meetings at the facility level.
• Participate in the quarterly counsellor’s support supervision meetings / sessions.
• Familiarize and adhere to the recommendations of both the National HTS and ART guidelines up to and including proper waste disposal procedures.
• Enroll and participate in the bi - annual Proficiency Testing Program.
• Participate in other HTS QA activities e.g. Counsellors self - assessment, Direct observed sessions, Quality Management Assessments, (CQI, SIMS), client satisfaction surveys, DBS validation interviews.
• Daily accurate recording of the services in HTS Lab Register and other attendant reporting tools e.g. the Linkage Registers including RTK consumption reporting.
• Prepare timely daily, weekly, and monthly HTS and RTK’s data summaries and reports through the facility in-charge and HTS Supervisor.
• Prepare summary of index / family testing and report using provided templates.
• Prepare and provide monthly summary of linkage report through the facility in-charge /HTS supervisor.
• Conduct all confirmatory tests of all identified positives as per the approved National Algorithm.
• Ensure 100% linkage of all confirmed HIV positive clients.
• Ensure that the Client Locator information forms as well as the Client Referral forms of all positive clients referred to the CCC for confirmation are well filled.
• Work closely with the HTS Supervisor to refer clients presenting inconclusive results (as per the Algorithm) to the CCC Laboratory for DNA – PCR / antigen tests.
• Work closely with the HTS Coordinator to maintain accurate records i.e. the Client locator information forms and Client Referral form of all clients referred to and / or attended to at the CCC of all clients.
• Provide patient key information on the importance of starting ART immediately as well as benefits of family testing and disclosure.
• Negotiate and explore with the client, opportunities for family, partners / contacts testing.
• Work closely with the HTS Coordinator to follow up and document all linkage outcomes in the Master Facility Linkage Register.
• Professionally hand over confirmed clients to the Adherence Counsellors/ CCC team for enrollment into care and treatment services.
• Line list index clients whose contacts have not been tested and collaborate closely with the clinical teams at the CCC to mobilize index clients to bring their contacts for testing.
• Plan and conduct home based index testing when the CCC are not operational.
• Work closely with the Records team at the CCC to document accurate test results of contacts of index clients in the blue card after successful index contacts testing.
• Follow up on outcomes and progress of newly enrolled clients for a period of three (3) months to enhance adherence and improve patient experience.

Qualifications

• Diploma Holder in Nursing, lab technology Counselling, Psychology, Community Health, HIV Testing Services, HIV Management, Social Sciences, or other related fields.
• Holder of a NASCOP Certificate in HTS Provision or equivalent.
• Training in Peer Education, BCC or HIV & AIDS is added advantage.