The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) assists governments to promote high quality health care. CHAI teams work in partnership with the government, partners, and other major stakeholders to identify the key obstacles to access and scale-up of essential health services, and to develop sustainable strategies to overcome them.
In South Africa, CHAI has supporting the National Department of Health and the South Africa National AIDS Council (SANAC) in its launch in 2010 of a massive HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) campaign and Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Expansion Programme. More recently CHAI has supported the development of the new National Strategic Plan on HIV, STIs and TB (2012-2016). One of the aims of this plan is to ensure that 80% of people in need have access to ART. The Government and its partners have been preparing the health system to handle the increase in patient volume, by training nurses in ART (NIMART), helping public health facilities to begin offering ART, procuring necessary commodities, and securing funding.
The Provincial ART coordinator for CHAI will work with the provincial HIV and AIDS, STI and TB (HAST) team to improve all aspects of delivery of ART services. This includes assessing the need for training of health care workers, organizing training, monitoring drug stocks at provincial depots and at facility level, tracking and reporting facility readiness, and other activities as directed by the HAST manager. The ART Coordinator will aggressively follow up on all identified barriers to HIV care and treatment, bringing them to the attention of the appropriate people within the Department of Health and designing implementation strategies to address those barriers. He/she will be expected to follow up on these challenges and recommend solutions to the provincial HAST manager and the National Nerve Center. This person will be expected to produce positive results – increased numbers of people (adults and children) being put on ART. All activities will be focused on this goal.
Positions are available in each of the provinces (Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Northern Cape) and will require travel within the province.
Responsibilities:
• Liaise with facilities, district and sub-district managers, and Provincial HAST team to provide day-to-day support in creating improved access to high quality treatment for people infected with HIV • Support the rollout of ART initiation to additional PHCs, ensuring that all PHC facilities and hospital provide ART • Work with Regional Training Centre Managers and development partners to accelerate NIMART training and mentoring in alignment with ART expansion facilities • Identify barriers regarding Pre-ART lost to follow up as well as the rapid scale-up of ART; design and implement solutions • Facilitate communication among NDOH, provincial DOH, District Health Management Teams, CHAI and other partners • Conduct field visits of ART sites and monitor stocks of drugs and commodities for potential stock-outs • Provide technical and logistical support to HAST team members • Assist the rollout of Tier.net and work to improve the quality of ART data
Qualifications:
Ideal candidate has excellent organizational skills and experience. He/she must be able to work at a rapid pace, be resourceful, flexible, and result-oriented.
• Matric certificate required • Minimum 5 years work experience required, demonstrating aptitude for management, strategic planning and coordination • Previous work experience in the South African public health system a plus • Ability to work well on a team, and excellent oral and written skills in English (and preferably local language in the Province) are required. • Proficiency in using MS Office and conducting internet research is essential
No comments: