Position: Mentor Mother
Job Type: Full Time
Qualification: OND, Secondary School (SSCE)
Experience: 0 – 2 years
Location: Bayelsa
Job Field: NGO/Non-Profit
Job Summary:
As a Mentor Mother, you will play a crucial role in providing adherence support, education, and counseling to pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV, as well as their HIV-exposed infants (up to 18 months of age). This position is focused on supporting ACE-6 sites, spoke sites, and community structures, with the ultimate goal of eliminating Mother-to-Child Transmission (MTCT) of HIV within the designated LGAs/State.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Act as a peer supporter for pregnant and breastfeeding women with HIV, offering counseling on safe practices to prevent HIV transmission to infants.
- Provide education and psychosocial support to pregnant and breastfeeding women with HIV, their partners, and families, linking them to care and support services.
- Remind and encourage pregnant and breastfeeding women with HIV about their appointments and involve them in support group sessions.
- Advocate for the demand creation of Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) and Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) services at various service delivery points.
- Engage in health talks during Antenatal Care (ANC), immunization clinics, health facility training sessions, and monthly data review sessions.
- Ensure that all pregnant and breastfeeding women in the project receive comprehensive PMTCT services, identifying and addressing gaps in the continuum of care.
- Support case identification at both facility and community levels for all ANC attendees, partners, and children of positive pregnant or breastfeeding women.
- Assist in HIV retesting of pregnant/breastfeeding women at community and facility levels.
- Follow up with pregnant and breastfeeding women to ensure they receive all services within the PMTCT package of care, including viral load testing and monitoring during pregnancy.
- Conduct routine monitoring, tracking, and follow-up of mother-baby pairs for Early Infant Diagnosis sample collection and cotrimoxazole prophylaxis.
- Ensure timely and accurate documentation of all services provided in both community and facility settings, using patient monitoring and management tools.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must possess the following:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Ability to collaborate effectively with healthcare workers in facility and community settings.
- Good knowledge of quality PMTCT, ANC, and HIV service provision.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating flexibility and multitasking.
- Motivated, organized, and solution-focused.
- Excellent verbal communication skills, including the use of smartphones.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
Education and Experience:
- Knowledge and experience in PMTCT/Pediatrics HIV implementation preferred, with at least one year of experience working with HIV+ populations or populations at high risk for HIV infection.
- Minimum of SSCE; OND/BSC will be an added advantage.
- Proficient in English, Pidgin English, and/or common local dialects.
Other Competencies:
- Time management: Prioritize tasks and complete projects in a fast-paced environment.
- Quality management: Seek ways to improve and promote quality; demonstrate accuracy and thoroughness.
- Written communication: Clearly and informatively convey information; edit work for spelling and grammar.
- Adaptability: Adjust to changes in the work environment and manage competing demands.
- Cultural sensitivity: Respect the cultural environment and avoid behavior offensive to the local community.
- Non-discriminatory: Do not discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity, age, preferred jobs, or behavioral habits.
Language Skills:
- Excellent oral and written English communication skills.
- Knowledge of local languages preferred.
- Demonstrated competency in public speaking.
Computer Skills:
- Proficient in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange, Windows operating systems, PowerPoint, and other software routinely used by HALG.
Work Environment:
- Moderate noise level in the work environment.
- Co-locate with local partners in the same office.
- Regular travel to often insecure and limited-resource environments.
Method of Application:
Interested and qualified candidates should [apply here](link to application form).