Malawi AIDS Counselling and Resource Organization (MACRO)
Malawi AIDS Counselling and Resource Organization (MACRO) is a locally registered nongovernmental organization (NGO) established in 1995 to complement Government’s efforts in in the fight against HIV and AIDS and other health related issues.
MACRO’s Vision is “Malawi populace free of ill-Health” and its Mission is “Transform lives of Malawians through provision of high-quality HIV and AIDS, and other health related services”.
Therefore, MACRO is inviting applications from suitably qualified candidates to fill the following vacant position in Ntcheu.
Role: Treatment Supporters (34)
Position Overview
The Treatment Supporter will play a crucial role in providing patient-centered psychosocial care and support to People Living with HIV (PLHIV), focusing on health education, treatment literacy, and motivational counseling to enhance treatment adherence and achieve viral suppression. In alignment with HIV epidemic control efforts and the UNAIDS 95:95:95 goals, the Treatment Supporter will use the project’s case management guidelines to identify PLHIV at risk of treatment interruption and enroll them in tailored case management interventions. They will also participate in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) projects, develop tracing plans for defaulters, and support tracing activities for missed care and treatment milestones. A key responsibility includes fostering an environment free of stigma and discrimination, while delivering intensive adherence counseling, particularly for clients with high viral load, to promote viral suppression.
Qualifications
- MSCE and Certified HIV Testing Services providers (HTC Counsellors)
- Those with Diploma in Psychosocial counselling will have added advantages
- Fluent in English
- Ability to effectively present information in both written and oral forms. Experience in working with People Living with HIV
- Ability to ride a bicycle.
- Knowledge of basic road traffic rules and regulations.
Knowledge and Skills
- Strong interpersonal and counselling skills.
- High attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
- Ability to ride and maintain pushbikes for client tracing and facility visits.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Fluency in local languages and English is an advantage.
Responsibilities
1. Case Management and Care & Treatment
- Screening People Living with HIV for risks for treatment interruptions and high viral load using Project screening tool
- Enrolling all eligible clients in case management using risk stratification and case management tools
- Identifying and developing intervention plans for risks/Barriers to care and treatment for all clients in case management
- Tracking appointments for all milestones; retention and viral load milestones for all clients in case management
- Developing weekly tracing plan for tracing defaulters, missed appointment, missed EID milestones, clients with missed viral load milestones and advanced HIV Disease.
- Tracing all allocated case types within the given period and updating LOE
- Tracing using Push Bikes throughout the month.
- Regularly conducting home visits for all case types within walkable or demarcated bicycle tracing distance.
- Provide comprehensive individualized quality counseling to promote linkage to care, adherence and continuity in treatment, including but not limited to pre-ART, disclosure, Positive living and Welcome services, including community services.
- Supporting HIV Testing Services to clients according to National HIV Testing Guidelines for Malawi
- Provide patients with referrals i.e. escorting HIV+ clients from HIV testing services to ART clinic, and escorting PrEP clients
- Depending on program needs and budget, use bicycles(pushbikes) to trace clients allocated for tracing.
2. Demand creation/Health Talks:
- Creating a welcoming environment for People Living with HIV to return back in care and express themselves freely
- Provide health talks in designated areas health facility and community areas to create demand for HIV testing, viral load uptake, advanced HIV Disease, depression and NCD screening, PrEP and other health related issues
- Screening clients for HIV testing, viral load uptake, advanced HIV Disease, depression and NCD, PrEP and other health related issues
- Reviewing master cards and making pre-appointment phone call reminders
3. Reporting
- Compiling weekly, monthly and quarterly reports in time using the reporting tools
- Regularly updating facility dashboards
- Actively participating in review meetings, and documenting and tracking action plans to improve performance
- Ensuring proper documentation, management and storage of all monitoring and reporting tools including registers (Daily PSS registers, case management, defaulter log, missed appointments, viral load testing and all other registers)
4. Quality Improvement and administration
- Monitoring and documentation of best practices at the facility.
- Actively taking the lead in quality improvement activities at the facility Conduct peer sit-in observation using existing sit-in observation checklist.
- Facilitating monthly meetings with the facility team to review performance.
- Adhering to organization code of conduct
- Developing and submitting leave plans for the facility.
All interested applicants for the above position are requested to submit their application, CV, educational qualifications, names and contact telephone numbers of at least three traceable referees to The Executive Director, Malawi AIDS Counselling and Resource Organization through email to: dreamsliteproject@yahoo.com
The closing date for receiving applications is Monday, 2nd December, 2024. Only short-listed candidates will be acknowledged.