Primary Counselor

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is an international humanitarian organization operating in Zimbabwe. The organization works with Ministry of Health and Child Care to create Centres of Excellence (COE) for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for people living with HIV&AIDS. AHF is looking for a Primary Counsellor to fill a position that has arisen at Gwanda Centre of Excellence. The successful candidates will be expected to provide HIV testing services, facilitating linkage, demand creation for HIV testing among other responsibilities.

Position Summary

The AHF Primary Counsellor will work under the direct supervision of the Department in Charge at Gwanda COE and overall, under the AHF Facility Manager who is based at the facility. This position is critical as the Primary Counsellor will be responsible for performing the rapid HIV testing on all clients that have consented to testing using the recommended algorithm. S/he will ensure the provision of direct and comprehensive primary, preventive and psycho-social care to patients. In addition, the Primary Counsellor will Facilitate education on condom use including condom demonstration. Overall, the Primary Counsellor will support the existing staff at the facility.

Duties and Responsibilities

AHF Primary Counsellor will be expected to: Provides pre and post HIV confidential counseling and testing, to all patients willing to have the HIV test done; Encourages and support patients that test positive, helping them to cope with the new diagnosis; Participates in Rapid HIV testing program initiatives and outreaches; Facilitate group test counseling/ education in rapid testing campaigns to ensure maximum client coverage; Ensuring that condom dispensers are replenished at the sites; Ensuring that HIV IEC materials are available on testing sites; Collaborate with other health care professionals (doctor, nurse, social worker, community health care worker, home-based caregiver, and psychologist) in maintaining treatment protocol; Teach and counsel patients & family on disease prevention and staying healthy; Assist patients with adherence counseling and document the session in counseling form; Provide ongoing psycho-social counseling to clients attending the clinic; Assist with the reading and interpretation of the CD4 count results to clients; Maintain filing system for all client records including psycho-social forms, laboratory results and medical records

Qualifications and Experience

The Primary Counsellor must hold a Certificate in HIV Rapid Testing OR Certificate in HIV Testing and Counseling. He or She should have at least one-year experience in related field. The position holder should be sensitivity to patient population and issues surrounding HIV/AIDS.