John Kinuthia, MBChB, MMed, MPH

Affiliate Associate Professor, Global Health

 

Dr. John Kinuthia, MBChB, MMed, MPH, is an Obstetrician Gynecologist and Head of Research and Programs at Kenyatta National Hospital and honorary lecturer, at the University of Nairobi Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He has been conducting HIV research focusing on PMTCT since 2004 when he took a position as the study physician for a randomized clinical trial that was evaluating viral and immune responses in mother-infant pairs who received either short course zidovudine or maternal HAART. Later in 2006, he was a co-Investigator for a study to determine contraceptive use among HIV-infected women attending comprehensive care centre at Kenyatta National Hospital. He has gained invaluable experience in the conduct of randomized trials in his position as study physician and later as deputy study coordinator of the Nairobi site for the multisite randomized clinical trial evaluating the role of acyclovir to prevent HIV transmission from individuals co-infected with HIV and herpes simplex type 2. In 2007, he enrolled in the MPH program at University of Washington and conducted a study to evaluate barriers (personal, social and institutional) to access and utilization of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV interventions. The study enrolled 2,700 mothers with infants for weekly immunization at six maternal and child health clinics in Nairobi and Western Kenya. In 2010, he was one of the regional directors for the study evaluating the impact of national PMTCT program in Kenya. The study enrolled 13,344 mothers from 304 facilities. Currently, he is the site Principal Investigator for a cohort study that will follow 2,000 women from pregnancy to 9 months postpartum to evaluate factors contributing to HIV acquisition during and after pregnancy.  In addition, he is coordinating trainings in implementation science for the Partnership for Innovative Medical Education (Prime K) linked award that is focusing on strengthening maternal, newborn, and child health. He has also been very involved in mentoring and other training activities since 2009 when he was appointed the KNH Site Director for the International AIDS Research and Training Program’s activities in Kenya, including the FIC Research Scholars and Fellows Programs.   

Publications

  1. Onyango, DO, Mecha, JO, Njagi, LN, Aoro, S, Malika, T, Kinuthia, J et al.. Outcomes of the three-month weekly isoniazid with rifapentine (3HP) versus the six-month isoniazid preventive therapy (6H) among people newly enrolled in HIV care in western Kenya. medRxiv. 2026; :. doi: 10.64898/2026.03.04.26347621. PubMed PMID:41867187 PubMed Central PMC13001390.
  2. Jisuvei, CS, Kinuthia, J, Richardson, BA, Srinivasan, S, Lokken, EM, Mandaliya, K et al.. Association between vaginal washing and group B Streptococcus colonization from periconception through the first trimester of pregnancy in a cohort of Kenyan women. PLoS One. 2026;21 (3):e0344736. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0344736. PubMed PMID:41849329 PubMed Central PMC12998844.
  3. Mukasa, D, Kinuthia, J, Meisner, A, Matemo, D, Schaafsma, T, Morton, J et al.. Oral preexposure prophylaxis use and the risk of bacterial sexually transmitted infections and HIV among African women: A prospective observational cohort study. PLoS Med. 2026;23 (3):e1004962. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004962. PubMed PMID:41802176 PubMed Central PMC13002101.
  4. Moraa, H, Mutahi, J, Atieno, W, John-Stewart, G, Kinuthia, J, Kumar, M et al.. "When a man is stressed, it replicates in the house": Kenyan women's perspectives on the influence of male partners on perinatal mental health among women affected by HIV. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2026;6 (3):e0006047. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0006047. PubMed PMID:41779726 PubMed Central PMC12959676.
  5. Mukasa, D, Kinuthia, J, Matemo, D, Morton, J, Wandera, C, Ukah, UV et al.. Population characteristics, PrEP eligibility, and trust in family planning providers among women accessing public family planning clinics in Kenya. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2026;6 (2):e0005480. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0005480. PubMed PMID:41746960 PubMed Central PMC12944804.
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