Caring for Providers to Improve Patient Experience (CPIPE) Intervention

Patience Afulani, PhD (image source UCSF)

Global Programs Kenya led research to address maternal health disparities in low- and middle-income countries, where 800 pregnancy-related deaths occur daily. In sub-Saharan Africa, many women, particularly from low socioeconomic backgrounds, do not deliver in health facilities, leading to poor outcomes. To address this, the "Caring for Providers to Improve Patient Experience" (CPIPE) intervention was developed (PI: Dr. Patience Afulani, UCSF OBGYN). CPIPE focuses on provider training, peer support, mentorship, embedded champions, leadership engagement, and promoting equitable and respectful care to tackle key drivers of poor person-centered maternal care, such as stress, burnout, and bias.

In July, Advances in Global Health published "Implementation of the Caring for Providers to Improve Patient Experience Intervention in Migori County, Kenya: Challenges, Successes, and Lessons." Authors include Beryl Ogolla (Global Programs Kenya), Linnet Ongeri (KEMRI), Edwina Oboke (Global Programs Kenya), Monica Getahun (UCSF IGHS), Joyceline Kinyua (KEMRI), Iscar Oluoch (Migori County Government, Kenya), James Oduor (Migori County Referral Hospital, Kenya), and Patience Afulani (UCSF IGHS).

ENGAGE Kenya Update

ENGAGE Kenya via LinkedIn

The ENGAGE Project (PI: Fitti Weissglas, IGHS) recently celebrated the graduation of 90 young women who completed intensive training in data science across six Kenyan universities, including Meru University of Science and Technology.

This initiative, part of a larger effort funded by Takeda Pharmaceuticals and led by the University of Nairobi (in partnership with UCSF), aims to empower young women from underserved backgrounds by equipping them with essential data science skills to address public health challenges. The graduates’ success highlights the project's commitment to fostering women in STEM and creating impactful solutions for communities in Kenya.

Integrated Bio-Behavioral Study (IBBS) in Kenya: A Triumph of Resilience and Adaptability

Under the CDC-funded HIV Surveillance project, UCSF and Global Programs Kenya—in collaboration with Kenya’s Ministry of Health National AIDS Control Program (NASCOP), nine county governments, and the Key Population Consortium—are nearing the completion of long-awaited key population and HIV/STI estimates that have been elusive for the past decade. This remarkable and tactical collaboration successfully engaged over 10,000 IBBS participants across four key population typologies (Female Sex Workers, Men who have Sex with Men, People Who Inject Drugs, and Transgender individuals) from nine counties—an extraordinary accomplishment achieved within just six months.

The study’s findings (PI: Dr. George Rutherford, IGHS) will be pivotal in informing HIV/STI prevention and treatment policies, strategies, and programs at both national and county levels. In addition, it will provide updated insights into the risk factors associated with HIV/STI infections and generate vital size estimates specific to key populations, counties, and typologies.