Coaching Community Health Volunteers in Integrated Community Case Management Improves the Care of Sick Children Under-5: Experience from Bondo, Kenya.

Background: Shortages of healthcare workers is detrimental to the health of communities, especially children. This paper describes the process of capacity building Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) to deliver integrated preventive and curative package of care of services to manage common childhood illness in hard-to-reach communities in Bondo Subcounty, Kenya.

Methods: A pre-test/post-test single-group design was used to assess changes in knowledge and skills related to integrated community case management (iCCM) among 58 Community Health Volunteers who received a six-day iCCM clinical training and an additional 3-week clinical coaching at health facilities.

Misdiagnosis of HIV treatment failure based on clinical and immunological criteria in Eastern and Central Kenya.

Background: Routine laboratory monitoring is part of the basic care package offered to people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV). This paper aims to identify the proportion of PLHIVs with clinical and immunological failure who are virologically suppressed and risk being misclassified as treatment failures.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of patient viral load data collected between January 2013 and June 2014 was conducted.

RED for PMTCT: an adaptation of immunization's Reaching Every District approach increases coverage, access, and utilization of PMTCT care in Bondo District, Kenya.

Gaps exist in coverage, early access, and utilization of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services in Kenya. The Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program, led by Jhpiego, piloted an adaptation of immunization's Reaching Every District (RED) approach in Bondo District as a way of improving PMTCT care. Routine district-level monthly summary service delivery pre- and post-implementation data were analyzed.

"A cup of tea with our CBD agent … ": community provision of injectable contraceptives in Kenya is safe and feasible.

Background: In rural areas of Kenya, where the majority of Kenya's population lives, contraceptive use remains low compared with that in urban areas (37% vs. 47%). Inadequate access to family planning services in rural areas is partly due to fewer health facilities and the shortage of health care workers.

Expanded Phase I safety and acceptability study of 6% cellulose sulfate vaginal gel.

Background: An expanded Phase I trial was performed to assess the safety and acceptability of 6% cellulose sulfate gel (CS) in comparison with K-Y Jelly.

Methods: Sexually abstinent (cohort I) and sexually active (cohort II) women in India, Nigeria and Uganda applied 3.5 ml of either 6% CS gel or K-Y Jelly for seven consecutive days.

The effect of rapid HIV-1 testing on uptake of perinatal HIV-1 interventions: a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: We examined whether HIV-1 testing using a rapid assay increases the proportion of pregnant women obtaining HIV-1 results and the uptake of perinatal HIV-1 interventions.

Methods: Pregnant women attending public health clinics in Nairobi were offered voluntary counselling and testing for HIV-1. Consenting women were randomly assigned to receive either rapid or conventional HIV-1 testing.