Health and Technical Officers (HTOs) at COCODA -2 Posts

Health and Technical Officers (HTOs) at COCODA -2 Posts

Position: Health and Technical Officers (HTOs) -2 Posts

COCODA Tanzania is a non-governmental organisation established in 2000. COCODA’s  establishment resulted from intensifying concern among community members in  Tanzania over the surging number of orphans, mainly as a consequence of the swelling  amount of people infected by HIV and dying from AIDS, the majority being adults  leaving behind young children without parents. This trend had a negative impact on  social and economic development. Hence COCODA Tanzania envisioned offering an  effective response to the situation by providing social health education to the local  community on HIV/ AIDS, supporting orphans and most vulnerable children, providing  vocational skills to youth and establishing small-scale income-generating groups for the  community’s sustainable economy. 

Kizazi Hodari Project is a five-year global effort to reach and sustain HIV epidemic  control among pregnant and breastfeeding women, adolescents, infants, and children.  The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funded the project and  implemented by Deloitte Tanzania. A resource partner’s global and local strategic  resource partner network supports these core partners. Kizazi Hodari focuses on priority  PEPFAR countries across Africa and the Caribbean. The consortium works with USAID  Missions, national governments, and existing response partners to identify gaps in HIV  prevention and treatment programming among target populations. Using best practices  and expertise along with innovations, the project is addressing critical gaps to meet  country-specific epidemic control goals. Kizazi Hodari is USAID’s flagship initiative to  address the needs of children, young people, and breastfeeding women affected by HIV.  This includes supporting local organizations and organisations that serve these  populations and ultimately build their capability to receive direct U.S. government  funding for programs at scale. The project leverages the full strength of its consortia and 

related private and public sector stakeholders to support countries in attaining and  sustaining HIV epidemic control. In Tanzania, starting in November 2022, Kizazi Hodari  is receiving funds from USAID to support the Government of Tanzania (Got) to achieve  its aim of controlling the HIV epidemic, with a particular focus on programs targeting  orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and adolescent girls and young women, through  the DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe)  program, in 54 councils across 15 regions in Tanzania. Additionally, Kizazi Hodari aims  to strengthen local organizations and the national- and community-level social welfare  systems, structures, and workforce to support and sustain OVC to access HIV-inclusive  services that support their health and well-being. The Kizazi Hodari program has three  Strategic Objectives: 

1. Increase the use of OVC platforms for pediatric HIV case finding, linkage to  treatment and viral suppression 
2. Increase access to HIV prevention, violence prevention and response services for  OVC and Youth 
3. Improve the socio-economic capacity of at-risk adolescent girls and young women  (AGYW) and OVC caregivers 

COCODA Tanzania invites competent and motivated applicants to apply for the  following position; 

Health and Technical Officers (HTOs)– 2 Positions

Location: Njombe Region

Reports to: Project Manager

Position Description:

The Health Technical Officer (HTO) will be responsible for coordinating the implementation of Kizazi Hodari project health services to the assigned council. He/she will work closely with the Kizazi Hodari regional team, RHMT and CHMT to ensure the provision of high-quality health services including; case identification and linkage to care and treatment, follow up of ITT and return them to treatment coordinating linkages and adherence support for HIV care and treatment to clients in their assigned councils and insure on time viral load sample taken to the project beneficiaries.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Represent the CSO and coordinate with the Council Health Management Team regarding HIV and health-related activities.
• Hold monthly coordination meetings with Care and Treatment Centres (CTC) in the implementation area to support shared confidentiality, facilitate case conferencing, improve the bi-directional referral system, and ensure HIV-positive beneficiaries receive needed services.
• Support Early Childhood Development (ECD) corners at targeted health facilities, including regular monitoring and supportive supervision.
• Support Community Case Workers (CCWs) to work with high pediatric volume CTCs to trace HIV-positive OVC who miss appointments, enroll them into the Kizazi Hodari project and link them back to CTCs.
• Support CCWs to conduct HIV risk assessments for OVC during case management; refer and link at-risk OVC to HIV Testing and Counselling (HTC).
• Schedule quarterly Sexual Reproductive Health Education outreaches to teen clubs and organize HTC outreaches for adolescents with high-risk behaviors.
• Work with EGPAF to roll out a supplemental HIV curriculum to CCWs and ensure CCWs provide appropriate support to HIV-positive OVC and caregivers.
• Support CCWs to strengthen the capacity of caregivers to support HIV-positive OVC and ensure CCWs refer HIV-positive OVC and caregivers to PLHIV support groups.
• Ensure screening of caregivers for depression and link them to appropriate services.
• Support the rollout of evidence-based curriculums relating to HIV (e.g. Stepping Stones, Sinovuyo Teens, Sexual Reproductive Health Education, Care for Child Development, etc.)
• Support the establishment of a bi-directional referral system to monitor beneficiaries through the HIV continuum of care as well as service completion for other health and social services.
• Monitor implementation, bottlenecks, and performance metrics of the bidirectional referral system; proactively offer solutions, conduct quality improvement activities, and implement adjustments to improve referral outcomes.
• Coordinate quarterly district-level quality improvement meetings with relevant bidirectional referral system stakeholders; ensure actions from the meetings are implemented and the bi-directional referral system is improved.
• Work with the M&E officer to ensure all bi-directional referral data are accurate and produced weekly; use data for decision-making.
• Lead the development of a service directory for health, nutrition, and HIV services in the implementation area; update the directory at least once a year.
• Support CCWs to conduct nutrition activities, including nutrition assessments, counseling, and linkage to other nutrition service providers.
• Provide continuous supportive supervision to CCWs to ensure the provision of health related services and referrals and linkages to beneficiaries.
• Submit timely updates to the Program Coordinator for inclusion in the quarterly, semiannual, and annual reports.
• Document lessons learned and best practices for experience sharing and replication.
• Perform any other relevant duties as assigned by the Project Manager.

Qualification and experience

• At least 2-5 years of experience working in HIV/AIDS Community projects.
• A Diploma/Degree in medical/nursing with good experience in HIV/AIDS programs, and a sound knowledge of HIV/AIDS care and treatment.
• Possessing a medical degree will be an added advantage.
• A good team player with demonstrated skills and experience in leading and coaching the team.
• Ability to network and maintain professional relationships with the LGAs and other stakeholders at the Council level.
• Excellent written, presentation, communication and organizational skills in both English and Kiswahili
• Good understanding of council-level healthcare system · Flexible to work beyond normal working hours.

How to Apply:

Candidates are required to mention the ‘Position Title’ in the subject line of the e-mail. All applicants MUST attach a cover letter and their updated Curriculum Vitae with certified copies of academic certificates as supporting documents to their applications.

All applications should be submitted no later than 16:00 Pm on 22nd September 2024 by email, to:

Human Resource Manager,

COCODA Tanzania,

P.O.Box 712,

Njombe.

[email protected]

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

Warning: Please avoid deception agents, COCODA charges no cost for any job position advertised.

COCODA enhances equal opportunity to all qualified candidates.