PhD defence Christine Njoki Kiruthu-Kamamia
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Wim Groot, Prof. Dr. Milena Pavlova
Co-supervisor: Dr. Caryl Feldacker
Keywords: Digital health, HIV, Differentiated Service Delivery, Malawi
"Mhealth-enabled Differentiated Service Delivery for HIV Care: A case study of the Lighthouse Trust HIV Clinic in Malawi"
This thesis studied how mobile health tools can support HIV care in Malawi. It focused on two tools used at Lighthouse Trust HIV Clinic: 2wT, a text messaging system that connects patients starting HIV treatment with healthcare workers, and CARES, a mobile app used by health workers who deliver HIV medication in communities. The research found that 2wT helped new patients attend early clinic visits on time and could save money when used by more patients. CARES helped health workers access patient information more easily in the community, reduced paperwork, and saved time and resources. Overall, this thesis shows that digital tools can make HIV care more efficient for both patients and health workers. However, these tools work best when they fit well into daily clinic routines and the wider health system.
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