NAIROBI – February 13, 2026

In partnership with KUMC and Dart Institute, our team, led by Chief Executive Director, Dr. May Maloba and PI, Dr. Natabhona Mabachi presented a strong body of work at this year’s KEMRI Annual Scientific and Health (KASH) Conference. Between 9th and 13th February 2026, we shared six abstracts and one poster at the conference, which took place at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi. The presentations highlighted findings from both concluded and ongoing studies across cervical cancer, HIV mother-to-child transmission, and digital tools that support maternal and infant care.

Theme: The Future of Health: Scientific Research, Innovations, Technologies and Manufacturing for a Resilient Universal Health Coverage (UHC)

Conference presentations

1. 1. Cervical cancer continuing education in Kenya: lessons learned from piloting a virtual learning educational program among health care providers — Poster

2. 2. Examining mother to child transmission of HIV: a case series of 8 mother-infant pairs enrolled in PMTCT services — Oral

3. 3. Diagnostic pathways among women who screened “suspicious for cancer” through visual inspection with acetic acid at 10 hospitals in Kenya — Oral

4. 4. Supporting women with Cervical Cancer: Results from a qualitative study — Oral

5. 5. Preferences for and experiences of antenatal and postpartum male partner support among Kenyan women living with HIV — Oral

6. 6. Evaluating the impact of HIV Infant Tracking System (HITSystem) on optimal completion of prevention-of-mother-to-child transmission services and maternal viral suppression — Oral

7. 7. Disparities in Cervical Cancer Screening by HIV Status in Kenya: Evidence from a Multi-Site Trial in Western Kenya — Oral

Presenters and their contributions

• Dr. May Maloba – Presented the poster on cervical cancer continuing education and delivered oral presentations on supporting women with cervical cancer, antenatal/postpartum male partner support among women living with HIV, and disparities in cervical cancer screening by HIV status.

• Shadrack Babu -Presented the oral case series examining mother-to-child transmission of HIV (8 mother-infant pairs).

• Dr. Natabhona Mabachi – Presented the oral study on diagnostic pathways following VIA screening across 10 hospitals.

• Nick Maosa – Presented the oral evaluation of the HITSystem and its impact on PMTCT completion and maternal viral suppression.

The strong presence of our team at the conference underscores our commitment to translating research into practice. The studies presented advance understanding of how to strengthen provider education for cervical cancer screening and care, close gaps in diagnostic referral pathways, support women living with HIV through partner-inclusive care, and how to use digital systems like the HITSystem to improve maternal-infant outcomes, and the CATSystem to reduce pre-cancerous progressions.

We extend our sincere thanks to our collaborators and to all conference participants who engaged with our findings. These conversations will help shape the next steps for scaling interventions, refining digital tools, and designing implementation studies that respond to the realities of health systems in Kenya.