Counsellor Linkage Officer at Anova Health Institute

The successful candidate will be responsible for increasing the uptake of HTS for children and adolescents, ensuring the mobilisation and testing of key groups for HTS in community (or facility where required). Linkage of children and adolescent living with HIV to treatment and support at facility and community will also be done.

Key duties and responsibilities:

Provision of HTS services & other HIV related support activities

• Providing HIV counselling & testing (HTS) to clients in line with DoH policies and guidelines including 959595 strategy, focussing on children and adolescents
• Promote, mobilise and perform HTS at facility level
• Support index testing of sibling’s/family members of children who test HIV-positive and link them to care.

Linkage to care

• Ensure that all children, adolescents and youth that are tested are linked to care and initiated on PrEP or treatment as appropriate, either in the community or at facilities
• Ensure that children and adolescents living with HIV are linked to support structures within the community
• Support adherence/disclosure to specific clients when needed

Administration and Reporting

• Keep an updated record of number of clients offered HTS, tested, tested HIV positive, linked into care, etc., in line with stationery used by DoH and Anova (should there be additional data capturing tools)
• Form part of a multidisciplinary team within Anova and attend relevant meetings

Engagement with DoH and Anova staff

• Form part of a multidisciplinary team within Anova mobile service and work with the teams to ensure that 959595 HTS targets are met
• Attend facility meetings as required to discuss HTS/HIV/TB related issues

Minimum qualifications and experience:

• Matric/Grade 12 certificate
• Training in Basic HAST, HIV Counselling, Adherence counselling
• Knowledge of DoH HCT guidelines & protocols.
• Experience working as an HCT counsellor
• KidzAlive training and experience working with children/adolescents an advantage

Skills, competencies, and attributes:

• Must be able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to manage relationships.
• Strong organisational skills, including task and time management, ability to multi-task, establish priorities, and meet deadlines; and work without daily supervision.