Maseno University

Abstract Crop and varietal diversification are essential for African smallholder farmers to adapt to the complex and unprecedented challenges posed by climate change. Although African genebanks maintain seed collections of numerous crops, with thousands of varieties collected from their countries’ farmers, the direct use of these collections by farmers is very limited. Five African national genebanks therefore explored ways to strengthen farmers’ access to and use of these collections through a longer-term collaborative process. The genebanks and their partners engaged with ‘Germplasm User Groups’ as a basis for facilitating sustained joint learning with farmers for use of conserved germplasm. The structure of these groups and the methods they used for identifying and testing germplasm accessions, although differing by country context, all enabled a diversity of farmers to learn about a wide range of germplasm under relevant field conditions. The large number of accessions that farmers selected, their diverse advantages and the requests by numerous farmer groups to continue exploring additional crops and varieties indicated the usefulness of these approaches. These experiences revealed the feasibility and unique roles and opportunities for national genebanks to facilitate farmers’ direct use of the diversity conserved in their crop collections. National genebanks thus have unique responsibilities for adapting their operating procedures and partnering with research and development practitioners to facilitate farmers’ discovery and use of their conserved crop diversity.

Purpose: The effective implementation of Electronic Community Health Information Systems (e-CHIS) in low-resource settings is critically dependent on the digital proficiency of healthcare providers. This study investigated the training gaps and support needs that influence e-CHIS adoption in Migori County, Kenya. Methodology: A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed, collecting quantitative data from 357 healthcare providers via a structured survey, with data analyzed using descriptive/inferential statistics and bivariate correlation in SPSS. This was complemented by qualitative insights from 14 key informant interviews and 25 focus group discussions, which were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic and content analysis. Findings: While analysis revealed near-universal training coverage (96.4%) and high ratings of training quality (94.2% good/excellent), significant implementation barriers persisted. A striking 85.2% of health care providers experienced technical challenges while 91.6% reported technical infrastructure as a major barrier. Furthermore, a pronounced disparity in access to technical support was found between sub-counties (Awendo 59.7% vs. Nyatike 85.0%). TAM analysis confirmed a strong correlation between Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Usefulness (r=0.870, p<0.001), validating the model's core premise. However, a critical and unexpected finding emerged: technical skill level showed a non-significant negative correlation with Perceived Usefulness (r=-0.019, p=0.715), challenging conventional assumptions that digital literacy directly translates to system appreciation. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study concludes that despite high training coverage, a fundamental disconnect exists between training efforts and sustainable system adoption, driven by systemic infrastructure and support limitations. These findings necessitate a theoretical refinement of technology acceptance models for resource-constrained contexts and recommend a strategic shift from one-time training to integrated, continuous support and context-sensitive implementation strategies to unlock the full potential of digital health tools.

House helps propel the global labour industry yet are the most overexploited workers regardless of their complementary and substitution roles in sustainable development. They comprise predominantly marginalized women performing several domestic chores in homes. In Kenya and particularly Nairobi, they face unique challenges as envisaged in the Real Househelps of Kawangware television comedy. Poor remuneration puzzling their dwindling welfare drove them to the Middle East in search of greener pastures culminating to torture and even death. Thus, this paper examines remuneration and the welfare of house helps in Nairobi, Kenya. It particularly establishes the: job description of; determines the potential risks facing; and examines the welfare of house helps in Nairobi. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive research design. Primary data was obtained from 100 purposively sampled house helps, complemented by secondary data. The study revealed that their amorphous job description of 42 chores comprised thirteen very frequently; nineteen frequently; nine often; and one unethical tasks performed. On average, house helps worked for 14 hours, commencing at 5.00am in hostile environment. With an average salary of Kshs.6225.40, most (69%) of them earned less than Kshs 7,500 which lay below the legislated minimum wage of Kshs.13,572.90. It was demonstrated that the prevailing chronic house help remuneration and welfare dilemma confined them in the vicious circles of poverty and deprivation trap which worsened their vulnerability. Thus, all these atrocities marginalised house helps and downgraded their welfare hence enforcement of and compliance to the domestic workers regulation labour in Kenya was argent.

Background: Diarrhoeal disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children under five, particularly in low-income urban settings. Despite interventions such as rotavirus vaccination, vitamin A supplementation, improved hand hygiene, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) initiatives, diarrhoeal episodes persist. Visual charts offer a potentially effective educational tool for low-literacy populations. This study explored the feasibility and acceptability of using visual charts to support diarrhoeal disease prevention practices among caregivers in Nyalenda, Kenya. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using in-depth interviews with 14 caregivers of children aged 6 to 24 months and key informant interviews with 2 community health assistants and 2 health facility in-charges. Participants were purposively sampled based on child age, recent diarrhoeal episodes, and residence stability. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and thematically analysed. Results: Caregivers had considerable knowledge of diarrhoeal disease and prevention, but practices were inconsistent due to economic and environmental constraints, including limited soap and safe water access, unimproved sanitation, and congested living conditions. None of the participants had prior exposure to visual charts. All caregivers and health providers expressed strong interest in using visual charts, suggesting content on handwashing, water treatment, food hygiene, and solid and liquid waste management, with materials in English, Kiswahili, and Luo. Charts were envisioned as household reminders and training aids. Conclusions: Visual charts were well-received and considered feasible to support diarrhoeal disease prevention in resource-limited settings. Findings highlight high receptivity and potential for future interventions to enhance knowledge and adherence to preventive practices.

The oral microbiome is a diverse ecosystem that plays a critical role in health and disease and contains numerous bacterial species capable of metabolizing host-derived glycans, particularly sialic acids. Sialidase enzymes can be produced by both commensal and pathogenic bacteria, influencing biofilm formation and host-interactions. To investigate how sialidase activity might influence the oral microbiome we conducted a series of in vitro polymicrobial biofilm experiments and assessed community composition using 16S rRNA sequencing. As a first step, we optimized and validated Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) as a sequencing platform using an in-house sequencing workflow and compared it to the standard Illumina MiSeq technology. Through in silico and in vitro assessments, we identified primer bias in the standard ONT 16S primers and designed human oral microbiome (HOM) modified primers (HOM_27F-YM/1492R-D) to improve taxonomic resolution, achieving results comparable to the gold-standard Illumina 16S primers, particularly for key oral taxa. These HOM-optimized primers had an overall lower error rate and generated community profiles that closely matched to those produced by Illumina. We then used the same ONT workflow and modified 16S primers to evaluate the effect of sialidase inhibitors Oseltamivir and 2,3-dehydro-2-deoxy-N-acetylneuraminic acid (DANA) on Hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) assay plate derived plaque biofilms from a whole plaque community model. Inhibitor-treated biofilms exhibited differences in relative abundance depending on the inhibitor combination used, with increased abundance of Streptococcus with Oseltamivir alone and Fusobacterium with both inhibitors combined. These findings demonstrate that ONT-based 16S sequencing is a viable, scalable method for oral microbiome research and suggest that sialidase activity can modulate microbial community structure in plaque biofilms.

Abstract Background and Objective Uptake of the HPV vaccine among adolescent girls in Embakasi West sub-County, Kenya has lagged behind since the introduction of the vaccine in 2019. While family, friends and community form a strong and influential support system for individuals, their influence on HPV vaccine uptake is undocumented. Materials and Methods A mixed methods study was undertaken in Embakasi West Sub-County, Nairobi, Kenya in which 371 school-going girls responded to a self-administered questionnaire, along with three caregiver and two adolescent focus group discussions, and 13 key informant interviews. The influence of family, peers, religion and culture on uptake of the HPV vaccine were examined. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis while qualitative data were thematically analysed. Results Majority (92.2%) of respondents had siblings, 74.4% resided with both parents, and 30.7% identified as Pentecostal Christians. Half (50.1%) of respondents reported their parents wanted them to be vaccinated, 79.2% could discuss HPV with their parents but 41.5% had not had such discussions. Overall, 20.8% of respondents had an HPV-vaccinated relative while 19.8% had received negative information about the vaccine. Religious and cultural acceptability of the vaccine was at 52.8% and 48.2% respectively. Parent attitude towards adolescent vaccination, (p<0.001), discussing HPV in the home (p<0.001), having a vaccinated family member (p=0.01), positive attitude of peers (p=0.02), beliefs about culture (p<0.001) and religion (p<0.001) were significantly associated with vaccine uptake. However, limited HPV-related discussion in the home negatively affected uptake (OR 0.230 95% CI [0.098-0.541], p =0.001). Caregiver knowledge and understanding were seen as means to overcome family opposition, religion and cultural beliefs. Conclusion Substantial consideration is given to family values in the medical decision-making process of caregivers for their children. Interventions that focus on enhancing caregiver-child dialogue could be used to drive uptake of the HPV vaccine.

Abstract Purpose: Cervical cancer disproportionately affects women in in low- and middle-income countries, where it accounts for 85% of cases and 90% of deaths globally. Although WHO’s 90/70/90 cervical cancer elimination strategy aims to treat 90% of cervical precancers by 2030, treatment access remains limited. In Kenya, only 5% of hospitals provide precancer treatment, and just 30% of women in 2022 received it. Innovative methods, such as self-administered topical therapies, could help bridge this treatment gap. Artesunate, derived from the antimalarial artemisinin, has shown promise against HPV in lab studies. In a Phase I U.S. trial, self-administered intravaginal artesunate led to 63% disease regression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2/3 (CIN2/3), and a Phase II is underway. We are conducting a Phase I trial in Kenya (NCT06165614) to evaluate its feasibility as CIN2/3 therapy. Methods: Eighteen women with CIN2/3 will self-administer intravaginal artesunate for 5 days on weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7. The primary objective is safety; secondary outcomes include adherence, histologic regression (CIN1 or lower), and acceptability. Treatment response is evaluated by colposcopy and biopsy at week 14. Those with persistent CIN2/3 undergo excision, while those with regression to CIN1 or less will be monitored. The trial began in March 2024. Results: Seventeen women (mean age of 39.9 years) are enrolled; 15 (88.2%) are HIV-positive and on antiretroviral therapy, with a mean CD4 count of 627.8 cells/mm3. Most participants (58.8%) are married and have at least a primary education (64.7%). All reported at least one grade 1 adverse event (AE), commonly vaginal discharge (60%) and headache (53.3%). Six grade 2 AEs (perineal or pelvic pain, headache) were reported, with no grade 3 or 4 AEs. Adherence, assessed by self-report and returned pessary covers, was excellent. Of 15 participants completing week 14 colposcopy visits, 11 (73.3%) had persistent CIN2/3 or worse and underwent excision or hysterectomy, while 4 (26.6%) regressed to CIN1 or less and are under observation. Study visits continue, with samples stored for HPV genotyping and microbiome testing. Conclusion: Early U.S. studies of intravaginal artesunate showed potential efficacy for CIN2/3. However, preliminary results from our ongoing Phase I study in Kenyan women, most of whom are living with HIV, suggest lower response rates. Further analyses will explore the impact of HPV genotype and microbiome. Citation Format: Chemtai Mungo, Cirilus Ogollah, Gershon Rota, Kate Sorgi, Elizabeth Bukusi, Jennifer H. Tang, Lisa Rahangdale, Jackton Omoto. Phase I Study of Self-Administered Artesunate Pessaries for Treatment of Cervical Precancer in HIV- Positive and HIV-Negative Women in Kenya [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 13th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research; 2025 Sep 16. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2025;34(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 68.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of renewable energy usage on Kenya’s manufacturing and industrial sectors. It emphasizes the sector’s transition toward green manufacturing and industrial growth. The study made use of annual time series data for the period 1985-2023. It employed the ARDL framework, guided by the AIC criterion and the ECM to capture both short-run and long-run dynamics amongst the variables. The ARDL findings revealed that the use of renewable energy has immediate positive impacts on manufacturing output and productivity. The lagged effects emerge over multiple periods, implying the gradual integration of renewable energies into the production processes. On the other hand, non-renewable energy consumption has delayed negative effects, thus highlighting the shortcomings that come with the usage of non-renewable energies. Labour has a strong positive influence on output, whereas gross capital formation shows a long-lag positive impact. This shows the extended gestation periods of capital-intensive projects. The ECM results confirm that deviations from long-run equilibrium are corrected at a moderately fast rate of about 52% annually. The F-bounds test found the existence of a long-run association between renewable energy consumption and manufacturing and industrial output. These results emphasize the importance of renewable energy uptake, efficient capital deployment and labour utilization in driving sustainable manufacturing and industrial growth in Kenya. This study provides policymakers and industry stakeholders with empirical guidance for aligning energy policy, investment and technological adoption with Kenya’s broader objectives for green industrialization. This will ensure countries not only grow economically, but also grow sustainably since renewable energies have the capability of taking care of both the current and future energy needs without fear of depletion, while also ensuring environmental sustainability. This study, therefore, highlights that renewable energy consumption significantly supports Kenya’s manufacturing sector growth and recommends aligning industrial energy policy interventions with green growth and sustainability frameworks such as Vision 2030 and SDG 9 by promoting clean energy adoption, energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy integration within industrial value chains so as to enhance competitiveness and low-carbon industrial transformation.