Potential in-country placement sites:

Singida Regional Hospital

• Staff at site: 5 Medical Officers, 11 Assistant Medical Officers, 9 Clinical Officers and nurses
• District hospitals: Manyoni, Kiomboi, and Singida Rural
• All district hospitals send specimens to regional hospital for CD4 counts
• The hospital infrastructure is in good condition with adequate space for the HIV Care and Treatment Center
• The Regional Medical Officer administers the HIV Care and Treatment Center

Shinyanga Regional Hospital

• Staff at site: 2 Medical Officers, 14 Assistant Medical Officers, 8 Clinical Officers and 27 nursing officers, 52 nurses, 1 pharmacist, and 1 lab technician
• Shinyanga Region has three district hospitals: Kahama, Bariadi, and Bukombe
• All district hospitals send specimens to regional hospital for CD4 counts
• Approximately 350 clients are currently on ARVs
• The hospital infrastructure is in good condition with adequate space for the HIV Care and Treatment Center
• The Regional Medical Officer administers the HIV Care and Treatment Center

Volunteer assignment:

The Patient Health Educator will assess, plan, develop, and implement a patient education orientation for new ART patients at a hospital with an HIV Care and Treatment Center. S/he will assess health education efforts at the hospital and take the lead in developing a new comprehensive patient education program to enhance the clinical ARV services available. S/he will use the assessment information to develop and implement a new patient education orientation program and provide training and support to ARV clinic staff. Education programs for community-based organizations to use in community education may also be developed (and/or existing community education tools shared and promoted).

Length of the assignment:
3 months, assuming a full-time work schedule

Name and title of supervisor: TBD

Name and title of counterpart: TBD

• MPH in health education and/or health promotion or clinical and educational experience. Nurse with educational experience.
• Minimum of 2 years experience working on health education/health promotion programs with a focus on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment
• Thorough knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment, specifically ART and treatment adherence—signs and symptoms of opportunistic infections and other co-morbid conditions.
• Experience developing and implementing HIV/AIDS patient education programs
• Fluency in English
• Knowledge of HIV/AIDS as it pertains to ART and adherence
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to develop cooperative working relationships
• Able to collaborate and work effectively with various program/project implementation partners and officials of governmental and non-governmental organizations

• Can work independently with strong leadership skills
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Previous experience working in a low-resource setting
• Nurse educator
• Well acquainted with Tanzania’s health system, the country’s strategic plan for HIV, and Tanzanian people and culture
• Working knowledge of Kiswahili

The objective of the Patient Health Educator is to increase the capacity HIV Care and Treatment centers of regional or district hospitals in the Shinyanga and Singida regions to prevent and treat HIV and AIDS through the development and implementation of a health education program for ARV clinic patients.

Volunteer responsibilities: 

• Prepare workplan/schedule based on the given Scope of Work
• Assess the current HIV/AIDS health education program activities at the ARV clinic and within the surrounding community
• Develop an ARV patient education program in coordination with clinic staff and other project stakeholders
• Implement a patient health education program for new ARV clinic patients
• Provide ongoing training and support to clinic staff as needed

Deliverables 

• Organizational assessment of the placement hospital/center
• Written assessment of the health education activities at the regional/district hospital(s)
• Written plan for improved patient education program and timeline for implementation
• Curriculum to be developed in conjunction with regional/district hospital staff
• Regular reports documenting training, consultation, and mentorship provided
• Final report

• Complete the scope of work in the timeframe outlined
• Complete Twinning Center’s assessment and monthly monitoring and evaluation reports
• Submit a post-assignment final report and participate in an exit interview
• Adhere to the AIHA Volunteer Standards of Conduct 

• Provide resources necessary for volunteer to carry out assignment successfully
• Identify a placement site for the volunteer to ensure sustainability of volunteer activities
• Submit performance assessment reports on the volunteer to the Twinning Center

AIHA Twinning Center:

• Conduct pre-assignment orientation and training for volunteer and placement site staff
• Provide volunteer with safe housing, monthly living allowance, medical evacuation coverage, and travel-related costs to and from placement site
• Provide ongoing support of volunteer as needed