EQUIP Liberia is implementing HIV services in Grand Bassa for female sex workers(peer educators) and people living with HIV(peer navigators) on HIV testing and counseling. This report outlined the recruitment process.

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Ministry Of Health
Community Health Department
Grand Bassa County Health Team
April 12, 2022
Feedback Report from the PE and PN Recruitment and Selection process in Grand Bassa
EQUIP TB/HIV PROJECT IN GRAND BASSA COUNTY

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Table of Contents
1.1. Introduction: ......................................................................................................................................3
1.2. Date of Recruitment, selection, aptitude test, and interview of PE and PN in Grand Bassa (April 11
and April 12, 2022)....................................................................................................................................3
1.3. Buchanan District, Grand Bassa County Recruitment and Selection April 12, 2022: ........................3
1.4. General Observations: .......................................................................................................................4
1.5. Recommendations.............................................................................................................................4
1.6. LAC, District #3A, Grand Bassa County (April 12, 2022) Recruitment and Selection of PE and PN...5
1.7. General Observations: .......................................................................................................................5
1.7.1. Peer Educator (LAC) ....................................................................................................................5
1.7.2. PEER Navigators (LAC):................................................................................................................5
2. Overall Recommendations:.......................................................................................................................5

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1.1. Introduction:
Over the years, Grand Bassa Health Team has been providing HIV/TB services across the eight
health districts. There are 35 health facilities and the eight health districts in Grand Bassa
whereby all are providing HIV services (HIV care and treatment, HCT, PMTCT). There are
currently 20 HIV care and treatment sites across the county.
EQUIP has been working in Grand Bassa since last year April 2021 to the present. We also have
FHI-360 implementing all HIV activities in Grand Bassa County and attending regular
coordination meetings with updates. Youth ALIVE LLIB is also implementing HIV/AIDS
services for the KEY population and also working with the County health, TB/HIV unit. They
can sometimes attend CHT’s regular coordination meetings with an update on activities.
PSI was also undertaking a similar project in Grand Bassa for the Key population since 2018,
they were working with those health facilities such as LGH, ST. Peter claver health center, AML
hospital, LAC hospital, CPD 3 clinic, Llodysville clinic, etc.
1.2. Date of Recruitment, selection, aptitude test, and interview of PE and PN in
Grand Bassa (April 11 and April 12, 2022)
On the 11th
of April 2022, a team from plan Liberia and EQUIP carried out two days of Peer
Educators and Peer navigators recruitment process in Grand Bassa.
On the 11th
of April 2022, two staff from plan Liberia, and staff from EQUIP met the community
health department Director, TB/HIV Focal person, BACHT to have a deep briefing on the
recruitment process about their upcoming activities in the county. The team met at the BACHT
office @ 8 am and had a briefing with the CHDD, TB/HIV focal, and NACP Clinical mentor for
the two-day activities. Everyone introduced himself or herself and roles in the health sector. The
team expressed that they would like to work with the TB/HIV Focal person and NACP Clinical
mentor to conduct the recruitment and selection exercises.
More importantly, the CHDD expressed some concerns about EQUIP activities in the county. He
noted the following points as indicated below:
 That he does not know the office of EQUIP in Grand Bassa
 That EQUIP has not been providing reports or updates to the CHT
 That EQUIP cannot attend regular Coordination meetings of the CHT
1.3. Buchanan District, Grand Bassa County Recruitment and Selection April 12,
2022:
After the deep briefing exercise, the team moved to the office of EQUIP in Central Buchanan,
near the Lutheran Church. When we arrived at the office, the Peer educators and Peer Navigators
were already waiting for the team to start the process. The activity began at 10:30 am on April
11, 2022.

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Below are the ways the activities began:
 5 members team ( Two from CHT that is NACP Clinical Mentor and TB/HIV FP and two
persons from Plan Liberia and one from EQUIP) had a short meeting on how to carry out
the process
 Requested for all Letters of application and CVs
 Did a phone calls for those whose letters and CVs were available, but they were not
present for both PE and PN
 All members team reviewed each applicant’s letter of application and CV for decision
making to the next level
 24 applicants for the position of PE
 24 applicants were selected for documents review
 18 did the aptitude test and interview
 Final evaluation is pending of the applicants
1.4. General Observations:
 We noticed that peer educators and peer navigators that are working with EQUIP, could
not even tell us in detail about HIV transmission, prevention, and treatment.
 The office of EQUIP is not set up as NGO(limited chairs and tables, no electricity, no
good restroom)
 EQUIP could not provide lunch for CHT staff but rather transportation during the two
days of recruitment and selection for PE and PN
 EQUIP needs to look at the strategy in recruiting PE and PN(same day selecting
applicant, interview and
 EQUIP cannot attend regular coordination CHT Meetings to provide updates on her
activities in the County
 CHTstaff did not know EQUIP Office in Buchanan
1.5. Recommendations:
 EQUIP to ensure refresher training for PEER educators and Peer navigators
 Ensure that chairs, electricity and good restroom are set up at the office
 EQUIP needs to be flexible with CHT that is, motivation and involvement will enhance
your work in this county
 EQUIP needs to look at the strategy in recruiting PE and PN(same day selecting
applicants, conducting interviews, and giving attitude tests)
 Ensure to attend regular CHT Coordination meetings with an update on activities
 TB/HIV Focal and NACP Clinical mentor with the EQUIP coordinator to have a
supervision plan and do follow up on PE and PN twice a month
 Ensure PE and PN do a presentation of their work every month (this will indicate the
best performing PE and PN in their catchment area)

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1.6. LAC, District #3A, Grand Bassa County (April 12, 2022) Recruitment and
Selection of PE and PN
On this day, April 12, 2022, CHT, Plan Liberia, EQUIP arrived in LAC hospital, District#3
A to continue with the PE and PN recruitment and selection activities after the mobilization
of the EQUIP team on the 11th
of April 2022.
At 11:30 am, the team started with the PE by setting the below activities:
 Requested letters of application and CVs from each applicant
 7 PE submitted application letters and CVs
 Each applicant’s letter of application and CV was reviewed
 Five applicants went to the next level and the two did not meet the selection
criteria(underage,15,16 respectively)
 Five applicants did the aptitude test and interview
 Final evaluation is pending of the 5 applicants
 EQIP needs two(2) PE to work in the program at LAC
1.7. General Observations:
1.7.1. Peer Educator (LAC)
It is important that if partners in the county doing any activity as per their scope of work, the
CHT and relevant people are present to show transparency. We noticed that some of the peer
educators were not living there but they were recruited out of the catchment area. So, those
applicants were identified and were not selected by the team. We noticed that even some of the
PEER educators could not tell us about the mode of transmission, prevention, and treatment of
HIV/AIDS and to even tell us who Key population is during the interview.
1.7.2. PEER Navigators (LAC):
There were six PN applied, but CHT(TB/HIV, NACP Clinical mentor were not satisfied that the
PN identified were the rightful applicants so they further investigated by providing HCT for all
applicants and all agreed to be tested.
Of the six applicants, four were tested HIV negative while two were tested HIV positive. The
two positive applicants could not read and write to do a report. The team planned to restrategize
on how to get additional PN to keep the program running at LAC.
Final evaluation of the recruitment process was still pending and the team did not evaluate PNs
and PECFRs.
2. Overall Recommendations:
 EQUIP to ensure and attend regular CHT meeting
 Make sure to do effective communication with CHT and share reports
 To do regular follow up on request submitted to CHT

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 Ensure PNs and PEs are followed on regular basis
 Effective training of PEs of HIV testing and counseling
From;
James V.T Tuckolon
Technical Advisor to EPI, Child Health (BACHT)
RN, ASN, BSN, MSN/Pediatric Nurse Specialist