PMTCT and CECAP Advisor at Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH)

Location: Minna, Niger State

Job Overview

The PMTCT and CECAP Advisor will report to the Chief Executive Officer of ARFH but with direct responsibility to the Chief of Party of the ACE project The PMTCT & CECAP Advisor will:

Facilitate the optimization of maternal retesting to close gaps of missed opportunities.

Ensure optimization of ARV regimens for HIV positive PBFW:

• Mentor providers to counsel women on available treatment options before, during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• Promote Partner Involvement/participation during ANC. ACE C4 will implement interventions that promote partner support at ANC by leveraging community/religious platforms to facilitate men’s engagement in ANC.
•  Integrate PMTCT into SRH, MNCH Services. ACE C4 will integrate PMTCT into family planning services across supported services to prevent HIV transmission during pregnancy among women and adolescent girls.
• Testing and follow up of HE to ensure sites achieve 100% coverage of EID testing for HEI by 2 months of age and same-day linkage to ART initiation for positive infants.
• Support follow-up HIV tests for HEI at 9-12 months; at any time, the infant has signs suggestive of HIV infection; and after 18 months and/or 6 weeks after cessation of breastfeeding to determine final HIV status.
• Improve Cervical Cancer Screening
• Work with health facilities to ensure the ART and PMTCT clinics are used as screening hub for WLHIV using Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA).

Job responsibilities

• Provide Case-management for mothers and HEI until a final outcome is ascertained
• Strengthen referral mechanism for Community PMTCT.
• Map and update the directory of service providers offering ANC services.
• Leverage support for Rapid Test Kits (RTKs) for testing from Government and other stakeholders including private sector.
• Facilitate the adoption of a cluster-based approach to facilitate HTS at TBA/FBA centers for all registered pregnant women.
• Engage and train women who successfully complete PMTCT to serve as Mentor-Mothers and provide adherence support to newly diagnosed PBFW and collaborate with SFH/OVC partner and Community Case Workers to facilitate ARV prophylaxis within 72hours, and DBS at six weeks until final outcome, and management of OIs.
• Lead the deployment of innovative strategies to reduce the risk of MTCT in a HIV positive woman during pregnancy, labour, delivery and breastfeeding through prompt treatment of STIs and infection of the genital tract, ensuring adequate nutrition for pregnant women.
• Ensure all exposed babies are supported to receive immunization according to NPIs.
• Support planning, coordination and supervision of cervical cancer screening activities in ACE- C4 supported facilities
• Support training facilitation of health care providers on cervical cancer prevention program and build the capacity of the health facility staff and service providers on cervical cancer screening, documentation, data collection and analysis.
• Support effective referral system for WLHIV diagnosed with Cervical Cancer to appropriate treatment centre within the state.
• Carry out strengthened supportive supervision, data quality and commodity management
• Incorporate cervical cancer prevention program (CECAP) into other health services - HPV vaccination, conduct screening using VIA, and treatment using thermal ablators (where eligible as well as utilize other technologies to improve uptake) for all Pregnant Women Living with HIV (PWLHIV) targeted at AGYW, and refer appropriate services linked with reproductive health.
• Build the capacity of Health care workers and facilitate access of women living with HIV for cervical cancer screening
• Work closely with other relevant ministries, the implementing partners and other key stakeholders to support implementation of CECAP strategies;
• Ensure that high volume sites across all the LGAs interventions are supported to be able to conduct VIA.
• Strengthen Linkage of VIA positive for further diagnosis and appropriate treatment through effective referrals.

Qualifications Required

• MBBS with post graduate degree in Public Health is required for this position.
• The applicant must have 7 – 9 years of professional experience in an integrated HIV Care and treatment, PMTCT, Cervical Cancer Screening and Treatment Program.
• Demonstrated experience training clinical or community-based healthcare workers on CECAP and other HIV prevention areas.
• clinical care with a sound understanding of HIV/AIDS with provision of PMTCT and anti-retroviral therapy (ART) including TB in resource constrained settings.
• Demonstrated skills in screening of cancer of the cervix and HPV
• Possession of an MPH or post graduate degree in a related field is an advantage
• Familiarity with Nigerian public sector health systems and NGOs and CBOs is highly desirable
• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadline, and intense pressure to perform and timely target achievement is required for this position

Method of Application

Interested Applicants should complete the online form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScKy7Gdt91tjBQO1HvN6iASFFxarGqnKmtNQVZ8NSbEbXaVNw/viewform?usp=pp_url

All applicants are enjoined to send their comprehensive Curriculum Vitae and cover letter in ONLY one attachment (MSWord document) explaining suitability for the job to pacadvisor@arfh-ng.org on/or before 29th March, 2022. Please indicate the title of post applied for in the subject line of the email.  Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Applicants are advised to provide their functional emails/mobile phone numbers on the application letter as well as three professional referees.  Candidates must provide functional e-mail addresses and telephone numbers of their referees.

Eligible female applicants are encouraged to apply. ARFH has a Child Safeguarding policy in place and is an equal opportunity employer (EOE).