Integrating the HIV testing cascade into the cancer care pathway at Kenyatta National Hospital cancer treatment centre: A pilot study

This project pilots an approach to close a gap in care for cancer patients who are systematically missed by standard HIV testing. At Kenyatta National Hospital's Cancer Treatment Centre, in a country with a national HIV prevalence of 4.8 percent, patients often enter the health system through oncology, where clinical focus on the cancer means a concurrent HIV infection can go undiagnosed. The project introduces opt-out HIV testing into the cancer care pathway, pairs positive results with a dedicated linkage navigator who arranges same-day or next-day connection to the Comprehensive Care Clinic, and documents results in the patient's oncology file so treating clinicians can co-manage both conditions. Combining University of Michigan and Kenyan expertise in HIV medicine, oncology and health equity, the pilot models person-centered, integrated care that addresses the whole patient rather than a single disease.