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
- Okore, JO, Camlin, CS, Lewis-Kulzer, J, Gutin, SA, Charlebois, E, Ayieko, B et al.. Training Social Network-Central Fishermen in Western Kenya to Distribute HIV Self-Test Kits and Health Facility Referral Vouchers. Afr J AIDS Res. 2024; :1-6. doi: 10.2989/16085906.2024.2411198. PubMed PMID:39618186 .
- Napierala, S, Bair, EF, Omollo, OD, Egbe, TI, Wesonga, JO, Rajaratnam, A et al.. High prevalence of STIs among men engaged in transactional sex and alcohol use in western Kenya: important implications for STI prevention interventions. Sex Transm Infect. 2024; :. doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2024-056266. PubMed PMID:39516007 .
- Vorkoper, S, Agot, K, Dow, DE, Mbizvo, M, Mugo, C, Sam-Agudu, NA et al.. Building locally anchored implementation science capacity: the case of the adolescent HIV implementation science alliance-supported local iS alliances. Front Health Serv. 2024;4 :1439957. doi: 10.3389/frhs.2024.1439957. PubMed PMID:39469436 PubMed Central PMC11513342.
- Agot, K, Onyango, J, Ochillo, M, Okello, TO, Carol, S, Odwar, T et al.. Jitegemee (rely on yourself): a multi-phase process of co-creating a personal savings intervention with female sex workers in western Kenya to reduce their HIV risk. BMC Public Health. 2024;24 (1):2873. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-20348-5. PubMed PMID:39425054 PubMed Central PMC11487964.
- Chhun, N, Oketch, D, Agot, K, Mangale, DI, Badia, J, Kibugi, J et al.. Using FRAME to characterize provider-identified adaptations to a stepped care intervention for adolescents and youth living with HIV in Kenya: a mixed methods approach. J Int AIDS Soc. 2024;27 Suppl 1 (Suppl 1):e26261. doi: 10.1002/jia2.26261. PubMed PMID:38965971 PubMed Central PMC11224585.