Vincent Otieno, MBChB, MMED
Consultant in Clinical and Radiation Oncology
Kenyatta National Hospital Cancer Treatment Centre
Peter Kinuthia, MBChB, MMED, MPH
Senior Research Scientist
Kenyatta National Hospital
Cyrus Mugo, MBChB, MPH, PhD
Senior Research Scientist
Kenyatta National Hospital
Integrating the HIV Testing Cascade into the Cancer Care Pathway at Kenyatta National Hospital Cancer Treatment Centre: A Pilot Study
This project pilots an approach to close a gap in care for cancer patients who are systematically missed by standard HIV testing. At Kenyatta National Hospital's Cancer Treatment Centre, in a country with a national HIV prevalence of 4.8 percent, patients often enter the health system through oncology, where clinical focus on the cancer means a concurrent HIV infection can go undiagnosed. The project introduces opt-out HIV testing into the cancer care pathway, pairs positive results with a dedicated linkage navigator who arranges same-day or next-day connection to the Comprehensive Care Clinic, and documents results in the patient's oncology file so treating clinicians can co-manage both conditions. Combining University of Michigan and Kenyan expertise in HIV medicine, oncology and health equity, the pilot models person-centered, integrated care that addresses the whole patient rather than a single disease.