Linkage Officer - Polokwane at Anova Health Institute

Job Description

Anova is an NGO that empowers people and changes lives. Good health and quality of life is what motivates us to provide healthcare solutions and provide support to those who needs it most.

We are looking to appoint a Linkage Officer to link all MSM clients referred to care guided by the 95-95-95 strategies.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Linkage to care

• Ensure that all clients tested HIV-positive are followed up and linked into care
• Keep a record and cohort of how many are initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART)
• Link all clients referred for PrEP, TB and STI
• Link clients to other psycho-social services

Health Education

• Effectively provide health education to clients about HIV, ARVs, Adherence to ART, STI prevention, Prep and Index testing
• Distribution of IEC material and Condoms
• Demonstrate condom and Lubricant use

HTS (HIV testing services) & other HIV related support activities

• Provide HTS counselling and testing
• Contact the negative cohort and facilitate HTS to the Negative cohort
• Contact and facilitate HTS to Index partners
• Promoting and performing HTS to the target group
• Participating in social mobilisation activities to encourage clients for HTS
• Reporting weekly to Team leader and Provincial Coordinator
• Capture and update linkage/Index spreadsheet in the absence of the Enrolled.
• Ensure that referral slips (tear-off sections) are collected from the facilities and filed at the office.
• Ensure that client’s indemnity form is fill in correctly and attached to other necessary documentation where possible.
• Submit weekly plans to the Team Leader/Driver

Communication and Reporting

• Liaise with the professional nurse and enrolled nurse and M&E on clients that require to be followed up and give feedback.
• Regular checks on Tier.net for clients that have been linked to care
• Compile weekly, Monthly reports and submit

Any other tasks as agreed with line manager.

Minimum Qualifications, Experience and Skills Required

• Grade 12
• RTCQI Certificate/HTS Counselling Certificate
• Social Auxiliary Worker qualification would be an added advantage
• Experience in working on Human Rights/Sexual Reproductive Health/TB and HIV/AIDS in the NGO or government sector  
• Minimum of 2 years working experience in a similar role
• Knowledge and exposure to a range of human rights issues including barriers to accessing legal and health services in Global Fund supported districts
• Proficiency in speaking and writing, in English and any local language
• Organising and negotiation skills
• Ability to work with people of all backgrounds.
• Good interpersonal skills
• Knowledge of the district and community resources in the district.
• Driver’s license and the ability to drive
• Very high-level understanding of key populations especially MSM / WSW.
• Significant up-to-date knowledge of HIV and AIDS and TB and STIs and appropriate responses to them.
• Good verbal communication in the provincial languages
• Experience in working with MS Office package (Word, Excel, Outlook, Internet, PowerPoint)