Kawango Agot, PhD, MPH

Director/CEO- Impact Research and Development Organization, Kisumu, Kenya

Dr. Kawango Agot, MPH, PhD, is a Kenyan research scientist who obtained her PhD and MPH concurrently from the University of Washington, Seattle, then proceeded to coordinate the ground-breaking trial on medical male circumcision for HIV prevention at the Kisumu site, western Kenya.  She has conducted multiple studies on various topics, including pre-exposure prophylaxis, multipurpose technologies, HIV self-testing, optimizing HIV care outcomes among adolescents and young adults living with HIV, and improving savings as a strategy to reduce spending on transactional sex and alcohol, among others. She also runs community-based HIV, Malaria and TB prevention programs. She is currently setting up her site for COVID-19 drug and vaccine trials. Dr. Kawango also founded Nyanza Initiative for Girls Education and Empowerment (NIGEE) as a give-back outfit; NIGEE raises funds locally to return to school girls who dropped out mainly due to pregnancy, early marriage or female genital mutilation.

Publications

  1. Ayieko, BO, Charlebois, ED, Sheira, LA, Gutin, SA, Olugo, P, Lewis-Kulzer, J et al.. Systematic dissemination of study findings from local to national stakeholders: a case of a social network-based study on HIV self-testing and linkage among fishermen in Kenya. SAHARA J. 2026;23 (1):2705180. doi: 10.1080/17290376.2026.2705180. PubMed PMID:42527878 PubMed Central PMC13421800.
  2. Nishimura, H, Agot, K, Gutin, SA, Olugo, P, Lewis-Kulzer, J, Kwena, Z et al.. Motivations for testing and linkage to HIV services following HIV self-testing among fishermen in Kenya: a qualitative analysis. AIDS Care. 2026; :1-12. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2026.2676207. PubMed PMID:42261910 PubMed Central PMC13446466.
  3. Fang, J, Agot, K, Gitahi, N, Arasa, JM, Gichane, MW. "Money is everything. If you don't have cash, no one will come to you:" investigating the relationship between socioeconomic status and HIV risk among adolescents and young adults in Kisumu, Kenya. BMC Public Health. 2026;26 (1):. doi: 10.1186/s12889-026-26975-4. PubMed PMID:41845387 PubMed Central PMC13112926.
  4. Agot, K, Reed, DM, Lamb, MR, Omollo, D, Franks, J, Moraa, J et al.. Behavioral and Structural Interventions for PrEP Adherence Among Young Female Sex Workers from Western Kenya. AIDS Behav. 2026;30 (7):2188-2201. doi: 10.1007/s10461-026-05044-2. PubMed PMID:41832915 PubMed Central PMC13400589.
  5. Chhun, N, Mangale, DI, Agot, K, Masyuko, S, Kibugi, J, Jiang, W et al.. Application of the RE-AIM framework to evaluate a stepped care intervention for adolescents and youth living with HIV in Kenya: a mixed methods approach. Implement Sci Commun. 2026;7 (1):. doi: 10.1186/s43058-026-00888-0. PubMed PMID:41724939 PubMed Central PMC13037263.
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