Psychosocial counselor (M/F)

Date Posted :           2022 /12 /24

Closing Date:          2023 /01/3

Background: Afghanistan is experiencing a low and concentrated HIV epidemic and among the countries in Central and South Asia that are confronted with a growing risk of HIV and AIDS, mainly due to the high incidence of people who inject drug. HIV prevalence is 4.4 % in People Who Inject Drug (PWID).

The first HIV case was reported in 1989 in Afghanistan and the Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GoIRA) has taken important steps in addressing the epidemic. The Afghanistan National Program for Control of AIDs,STI & Hepatitis (ANPASH) was established in 2003 under the leadership of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH).

Under the leadership of ANPASH Ministry of Public Health the country is implementing National Strategic Plan (NSP-III) 2016-2020 in collaboration with several national and international agencies. The country has multi-sectorial approach to control the spread of HIV with specific interventions for key affected population, vulnerable papulation and general papulation.

Until December 2017 a total of 2522 HIV cases have been registered with the national AIDS Program, While the World Health Organization and UNAIDS have estimated this number 7,500 in the county.

Title:  Psychosocial counselor (M/F)

Contract Duration: One year

Appointment procedure: The selection has to be through competitive process

Role and responsibilities:

• Pre and posttest counseling and Family counseling with confidentially manner
• Screen for potential clients
• To provide comprehensive risk counseling services as needed to target group in need of assistance with making behavior changes to reduce the transmission Blood Born infection.
• Patient management, ensure partner notification, ensure follow up of recurrent cases and one to one counseling of STI cases
• Psychosocial counselor should complete the motivation stage effectively for OST selected clients to convince those regarding OST benefits, duration and regular adherence with methadone
• Psychosocial counselor should share the main challenges of clients with medical doctor during motivation stage.
• Psychosocial counselor receive the client agreement and relatives agreement for starting Methadone
• To provide individual risk-reduction counseling services to PWIDs
• Client advocacy with medical providers, law enforcement officers, and other institutions as needed
• Conduct outreach activities in order to deliver harm reduction services as needed
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned
• Prepare monthly activities reports
• Perform other related activities assigned by his line manager

Qualifications & Requirement:

The HIV counselor should have the following qualification:

• Bachelor in psychosocial sciences or intermediate level degree in health.
• At least two years’ experience in health care or harm reduction services 
• Ability to work pleasantly with high risk groups specially with People Who Inject Drug
• Ability to support patient adherence with medical treatment plans.
•  Effective written and verbal communication.
• Ability to effect change.
• Ability to work with a positive interdisciplinary team approach
•  Ability to respond to crisis situations.
•  Interview and assessment skills
• Ability to interact with other professionals.
• Submission Guidelines:
•  
• (I)           Electronic applications will be sent to: sub e-mail which corresponds if any of following 2 items is missing, your application will be considered as ineligible/incomplete.
• 1. In your emails please specify the title of the position as well as vacancy number for electronic submissions and please do the same in the hardcopy submissions.
• 2. Updated Curriculum vitae (CV)/Resume (Please attached your recent photo and mention in your CV exact date/periods of your work experience, graduation Day, Month, and Year).
• If you are shortlisted and invited for written test/interview you will be required to present the original, the following:
• A. Education Documents: Your recent education degree/diploma
• ÿ Copy of verified Baccalaureate (12 passed) degree by Ministry of Education 
• ÿ Copy of verified 14 or 15 passed degree by related Ministries
• ÿ Copy of verified Bachelor Degree by Ministry of Higher Education
• ÿ Copy of verified Medical Doctor Degree by Ministry of Higher Education
• ÿ Copy of verified Master degree by Ministry of Higher Education 
• B. Copy of National Identity Card (Tazkira: Only the pages that show picture and Tazkira number, pages, place of issue and date of issue)
• (II)
• • Electronic applications will be sent to: sub e-mail 
• • Hard copies will be sent to: HR Container, Second floor, at the Ministry of Public Health, Great Masoud Square Kabul Afghanistan.
• • The Contact Person at Human Resources is: HR Officer, MoPH-GD HR. Phone number: 0093- (0)-202312422
• • 
• Note:
• Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to written test/interview and subsequent process.
• Submission Emails:
• 
  mophgdhr1444@gmail.com