Harriet Birungi, Ph.D.
Senior Associate and Country Director
Harriet Birungi is a medical anthropologist, country director of the Population Council's Nairobi office, and senior associate with the Council’s Reproductive Health program. She also serves as co-director on the multi-country project Strengthening Evidence for Programming on Unintended Pregnancy (STEP UP) and is director of an operations research project in Kenya that supports USAID's AIDS, Population, and Health Integrated Assistance Program, which seeks to find innovative ways to improve service delivery through research. She is a member of the international advisory committee of the Joint MFS II evaluation of international lobbying and advocacy activities under WOTRO Science for Global Development.
Previously, Birungi was a long-term grantee of the Ford Foundation, facilitating a series of activities to promote more open and informed discussions around sexuality and chronic illness in East Africa. Together with other local researchers in Kenya, she documented the processes leading to the enactment of the Kenya Sexual Offences Bill of 2006. She pioneered operations research on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescents perinatally infected with HIV in Eastern Africa, and continues to advocate for their rights.
Prior to joining the Population Council, Birungi was a senior researcher at the Makerere Institute of Social Research, Makerere University, Uganda, where she undertook research on the use of pharmaceuticals in different health care systems, the changing relations between public and private health care in the context of health care reforms, and the revitalization of primary health care.
Birungi is a graduate of Makerere University, Uganda, and received an M.A. in development studies from the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, Netherlands, and a Ph.D. in medical anthropology from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Her publications include international journal articles and technical reports.
Harriet Birungi, Ph.D.
Senior Associate and Country Director
Strengthening Evidence for Programming on Unintended Pregnancy (STEP UP) (more)
The Population Council is the coordinating partner for STEP UP, which will generate policy-relevant research to promote an evidence-based approach for improving access to family planning and safe abortion.
(1/2011 - 1/2016)
Topics: Access to contraceptive methods; Family planning services; Health care financing; People living with HIV; Safe abortion and postabortion care; Strengthening health systems
Countries: Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Kenya, Senegal
Assessing the Acceptability of the Progesterone Vaginal Ring in Sub-Saharan Africa (more)
To expand contraceptive options for women in sub-Saharan Africa we are evaluating the acceptability of the progesterone vaginal ring, a user-controlled contraceptive method for lactating women, and exploring strategies for how to introduce the new technology.
(10/2011 - 9/2014)
Topics: Access to contraceptive methods; Family planning services; Maternal and newborn health; New and improved reproductive technologies; Postpartum family planning ; Technologies for women
Countries: Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal
AIDS, Population, and Health Integrated Assistance (APHIA II) Operations Research Project (more)
The APHIA II OR project worked with local partners in Kenya to test innovative interventions to ensure high-quality reproductive health, family planning, and HIV/AIDS and related services to better address Kenya’s health needs.
(10/2008 - 2/2012)
Topics: Behavior change; HIV care, support, and treatment; Integrating health services; PMTCT and pediatric HIV; RTIs/STIs
Countries: Kenya
Sexuality: Who Is Listening? (more)
Council researchers are developing communication strategies about sexuality in East Africa.
(1/2007 - 12/2010)
Topics: Sexuality and sexual behavior
Countries: Kenya, Uganda
Special Needs of In-school HIV-positive Young People in Uganda (more)
Council researchers are aiming to better understand the needs of HIV-positive pupils in Uganda and identify possible responses by the education sector.
(6/2008 - 5/2009)
Topics: Adolescence/transitions to adulthood; HIV and children; HIV care, support, and treatment; HIV prevention; RTIs/STIs
Countries: Uganda
Measuring and Evaluating the Integration of Family Planning and Other Reproductive Health Services Through Innovative Data Collection Instruments and Methodologies (more)
Researchers with the Council’s FRONTIERS program examined the challenges of scaling up projects using operations research.
(8/2007 - 3/2008)
Topics: Integrating health services; Monitoring and evaluation; Quality of care
Countries: Interregional
Understanding and Addressing the Sexual and Reproductive Health of Adolescents Living with HIV (more)
The Council’s FRONTIERS program assessed the fertility desires of adolescents living with HIV and developed an intervention to meet those needs.
(3/2007 - 1/2008)
Topics: Behavior change; HIV care, support, and treatment; Integrating health services; People living with HIV
Countries: Uganda
Harriet Birungi, Ph.D.
Senior Associate and Country Director
Feasibility and effect of integrating tuberculosis screening and detection in postnatal care services: An operations research study (abstract) (PDF) (HTML)Ndwiga,Charity; Birungi,Harriet; Undie,Chi-Chi; Weyenga,Herman; Sitienei,Joseph
BMC Health Services Research 13: 99-
Publication date: 2013
Country mapping: Kenya (PDF)
Obare,Francis; Liambila,Wilson; Birungi,Harriet; Itombra,Eseoise; Clark,Heather; RamaRao,Saumya
Progesterone Vaginal Ring Technical Report
Publication date: 2012
Expanding access to comprehensive reproductive health and HIV information and services for married adolescent girls in Nyanza Province (PDF)
Undie,Chi-Chi; Birungi,Harriet; Obare,Francis; Ochieng,Ben; Liambila,Wilson; Oweya,Erick; Askew,Ian; Burnet,Rob; Deacon,Bridget; Mohamed,Aisha
APHIA II OR Project in Kenya Technical Brief
Publication date: 2012
Factors associated with unintended pregnancy, poor birth outcomes and post-partum contraceptive use among HIV-positive female adolescents in Kenya (abstract) (HTML)
Obare,Francis; van der Kwaak,Anke; Birungi,Harriet
BMC Women's Health 12: 34-
Publication date: 2012
Positive action for HIV in schools in Kenya (PDF)
Obare,Francis; Birungi,Harriet; Wanjiru,Monica; Bayley,Sheila; Kiunjuri,John; Omondi,Mary; Burnet,Rob; Deacon,Bridget
APHIA II OR Project in Kenya Technical Report
Publication date: 2012
Routine screening for intimate partner violence in public health care settings in Kenya: An assessment of acceptability (PDF)
Undie,Chi-Chi; Maternowska,Catherine; Mak'anyengo,Margaret; Birungi,Harriet; Keesbury,Jill; Askew,Ian
APHIA II OR Project in Kenya Technical Report
Publication date: 2012
Strengthening the delivery of comprehensive reproductive health services through the community midwifery model in Kenya (PDF)
Liambila,Wilson; Obare,Francis; Undie,Chi-Chi; Birungi,Harriet; Kuria,Shiphrah; Wayua Muia,Ruth; Matekwa,Assumpta
APHIA II OR Project in Kenya Technical Report
Publication date: 2012
Barriers to sexual and reproductive health programming for adolescents living with HIV in Uganda (abstract) (HTML)
Obare,Francis; Birungi,Harriet; Kavuma,Linda
Population Research and Policy Review 30(1): 151-163
Publication date: 2011
HIV infection and schooling experiences of adolescents in Uganda (PDF)
Birungi,Harriet; Obare,Francis; Katahoire,Anne; Kibenge,Aggrey David; Letamo,Gobopamang
from Social and Psychological Aspects of HIV/AIDS and their Ramifications, pp. 73-88
Publication date: 2011
Integrating tuberculosis case finding and treatment into postnatal care (PDF)
Ndwiga,Charity; Birungi,Harriet; Undie,Chi-Chi; Kuria,Shiphrah; Sitenei,Joseph; Ochola,Sam
APHIA II Operations Research Project in Kenya Report
Publication date: 2011
Levels, trends and determinants of contraceptive use among adolescent girls in Kenya (PDF)
Obare,Francis; Birungi,Harriet; Undie,Chi-Chi; Wanjiru,Monica; Liambila,Wilson; Askew,Ian
APHIA II Operations Research Project in Kenya Report
Publication date: 2011
Linking HIV-positive family planning clients to treatment and care services in Kenya (PDF)
Liambila,Wilson; Obare,Francis; Birungi,Harriet; Wayua Muia,Ruth; Maina,Joyce Wanderi; Maina,Mary N.; Awuor,Christine; Mohammed,Ibrahim
APHIA II Operations Research Project in Kenya Report
Publication date: 2011
Maternal health care utilization among HIV-positive female adolescents in Kenya (abstract) (PDF)
Birungi,Harriet; Obare,Francis; van der Kwaak,Anke; Namwebya,Jane Harriet
International Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 37(3): 143-149
Publication date: 2011
Sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents living with HIV in Kenya (PDF)
Birungi,Harriet; Obare,Francis; Namwebya,Jane Harriet; Mohammed,Ibrahim; Gitau,Margaret; Makumi,Margaret
APHIA II Operations Research Project in Kenya Report
Publication date: 2011
Ten years of the Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Project: What has happened? (PDF)
Evelia,Humphres; Wanjiru,Monica; Obare,Francis; Birungi,Harriet
APHIA II OR Project in Kenya report
Publication date: 2011
The limited effect of knowing they are HIV-positive on the sexual and reproductive experiences and intentions of infected adolescents in Uganda (abstract) (HTML)
Obare,Francis; Birungi,Harriet
Population Studies 64(1): 97-104
Publication date: 2010
Special needs of in-school HIV positive young people in Uganda
(PDF)
Obare,Francis; Birungi,Harriet; Katahoire,Anne; Nkayivu,Hannington; Kibenge,Aggrey David
Publication date: 2009
Engaging men who have sex with men in operations research in Kenya (abstract) (HTML)
Onyango-Ouma,Washington; Birungi,Harriet; Geibel,Scott
Culture, Health and Sexuality 11(8): 827-839
Publication date: 2009
Preventive service needs of young people perinatally infected with HIV in Uganda (abstract) (HTML)
Birungi,Harriet; Obare,Francis; Mugisha,John Frank; Evelia,Humphres; Nyombi,Juliana K.
AIDS Care 21(6): 725-731
Publication date: 2009
Recent research on sexuality in East Africa (HTML)
Birungi,Harriet; Undie,Chi-Chi; Aggleton,Peter
Culture, Health and Sexuality 11(8): 747-750
Publication date: 2009
Sexual behavior and desires among adolescents perinatally infected with human immunodeficiency virus in Uganda: Implications for programming (abstract) (HTML)
Birungi,Harriet; Mugisha,John Frank; Obare,Francis; Nyombi,Juliana K.
Journal of Adolescent Health 44(2): 184-187
Publication date: 2009
The making of the Kenya sexual offenses act, 2006: Behind the scenes (PDF)
Onyango-Ouma,Washington; Ndung'u,Njoki; Baraza,Nancy; Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2009
Adapting focused antenatal care: Lessons from three African countries (PDF)
Birungi,Harriet
FRONTIERS Program Brief (no. 11)
Publication date: 2008
Assessing Integration Methodology (AIM): A handbook for measuring and assessing the integration of family planning and other reproductive health services (PDF) (HTML)
Rivero-Fuentes,M.Estela; RamaRao,Saumya; Estrada,Ricardo; Warren,Charlotte; Mullick,Saiqa; Askew,Ian; Birungi,Harriet; Townsend,John W.; Medina,Susana
Publication date: 2008
Comparing the effectiveness and costs of alternative strategies for improving access to information and services for the IUD in Ghana (PDF)
Osei,Ivy; Voetagbe,Gertrude; Aikins,Moses; Gyapong,John; Nyarko,Philomena; Birungi,Harriet; Asare,Gloria Quansah; Odoi-Agyarko,Henrietta; Aglah,Olivia
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2008
From pilot to program: Scaling up the Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Project (PDF)
Evelia,Humphres; Nyambane,Japheth; Birungi,Harriet; Askew,Ian; Trangsrud,Rikka; Muthuuri,Eva; Chaami,Irene; Odawa,Agnes; Musyoka,Lucy; Mutungi,Susan; Githuiya,Margaret; Omuruli,Joan
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2008
Sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents perinatally infected with HIV in Uganda (PDF)
Birungi,Harriet; Mugisha,John Frank; Nyombi,Juliana K.; Obare,Francis; Evelia,Humphres; Nyinkavu,Hannington
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2008
The potential for sustainability of malaria in pregnancy initiatives in East and Southern Africa: Kenya and Malawi (PDF)
Onyango-Ouma,Washington; Okuonzi,Sam Agatre; Ali,Doreen; Birungi,Harriet; Mwangi,Annie
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2008
Developing and testing strategies for increasing awareness of the IUD as a contraceptive option (PDF)
Vernon,Ricardo; Khan,M.E.; Birungi,Harriet; Askew,Ian; Stones,William
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2007
Sexuality of young people perinatally infected with HIV:
A neglected element in HIV/AIDS programming in Uganda
(abstract) (PDF)
Birungi,Harriet; Mugisha,John Frank; Nyombi,Juliana K.
Exchange on HIV/AIDS, Sexuality and Gender 3: 7-9
Publication date: 2007
Acceptability and feasibility of introducing the WHO focused antenatal care package in Ghana (PDF)
Birungi,Harriet; Nyarko,Philomena; Armar-Klemesu,Margaret; Arhinful,Daniel; Deganus,Sylvia; Odoi-Agyarko,Henrietta; Brew,Gladys
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2006
Acceptability and sustainability of the WHO focused antenatal care package in Kenya (PDF)
Birungi,Harriet; Onyango-Ouma,Washington
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2006
Cost analysis of reproductive health services in PCEA Chogoria Hospital, Kenya (PDF)
Munguti,Nzoya; Mokua,Moses; Homan,Rick; Birungi,Harriet
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2006
Cost of training programs and willingness to pay for training: An application of break-even analysis in Uganda (PDF)
Mugumya,Nicholas; Nyombi,Juliana K.; Matsiko,Michael; Homan,Rick; Birungi,Harriet; Munguti,Nzoya
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2006
Priority setting for reproductive health at the district level in the context of health sector reforms in Ghana (PDF)
Birungi,Harriet; Nyarko,Philomena; Askew,Ian; Ajayi,Ayorinde; Addico,Gifty; Addai,Edward; Jehu-Appiah,Caroline
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2006
Understanding the HIV/STI prevention needs of men who have sex with men in Kenya (PDF)
Onyango-Ouma,Washington; Birungi,Harriet; Geibel,Scott
Horizons Research Summary
Publication date: 2006
Are reproductive health NGOs in Uganda able to engage in the health SWAp? (abstract) (HTML)
Mugisha,John Frank; Birungi,Harriet; Askew,Ian
International Journal of Health Planning and Management 20(3): 227-238
Publication date: 2005
The global-local dilemma of a Ministry of Health: Experiences from Uganda (abstract) (HTML)
Jeppsson,Anders; Birungi,Harriet; Ostergren,Per-Olof; Hagstrom,Bo
Health Policy 72(3): 311-320
Publication date: 2005
Understanding the HIV/STI risks and prevention needs of men who have sex with men in Nairobi, Kenya (PDF)
Onyango-Ouma,Washington; Birungi,Harriet; Geibel,Scott
Horizons Final Report
Publication date: 2005
What happened to the IUD in Ghana? (abstract) (HTML)
Osei,Ivy; Birungi,Harriet; Addico,Gifty; Askew,Ian; Gyapong,John
African Journal of Reproductive Health 9(2): 76-91
Publication date: 2005
Building the capacity of the Regional Center for Quality of Health Care, Makerere University, to train consumers of operations research
Okullo,Joel; Foreit,James R.; Birungi,Harriet; Askew,Ian; Homan,Rick
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2004
An assessment of trends in the use of the IUD in Ghana (PDF)
Gyapong,John; Addico,Gifty; Osei,Ivy; Abbey,Mercy; Kobinah,Dominic Atweam; Agyarko,Henrietta Odoi; Asare,Gloria Quansah; Birungi,Harriet; Askew,Ian
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2003
Improving quality of care for family planning services in Uganda (PDF)
Okullo,Joel; Okello,Quinto; Birungi,Harriet; Askew,Ian; Janowitz,Barbara; Cuthbertson,Carmen; Ebanyat,Florence
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2003
Improving the quality of care for family planning services in Uganda: Results of a baseline survey
Birungi,Harriet; Askew,Ian; Okullo,Joel; Okello,Quinto; Ebanyat,Florence
FRONTIERS Project Report
Publication date: 2002
Improving the quality of care for family planning services in Uganda: Results of the post-intervention survey
Okullo,Joel; Okello,Quinto; Birungi,Harriet; Askew,Ian; Ebanyat,Florence; the DISH II Project
Publication date: 2002
The policy on public-private mix in the Ugandan health sector: Catching up with reality (abstract) (HTML)
Birungi,Harriet; Mugisha,John Frank; Nsabagasani,Xavier; Okuonzi,Sam; Jeppsson,Anders
Health Policy and Planning 16(suppl 2): 80-87
Publication date: 2001
Are lessons from the education sector applicable to health care reforms? The case of Uganda (abstract) (HTML)
Okuonzi,Sam; Birungi,Harriet
International Journal of Health Planning and Management 15(3): 201-219
Publication date: 2000
The business of medicines and the politics of knowledge
Whyte,S.Reynolds; Birungi,Harriet; Whiteford,Linda M.; Manderson,Lenore
from Globalization, Health and Identity: The Fallacy of the Level Playing Field
Publication date: 2000
What makes markets tick? Local governance and service delivery in Uganda (PDF)
Birungi,Harriet; Kwagala,Betty; Muwanga,Nansonzi; Onweng,Tobias; Trondsen,Eirik Jarl
Asian Review of Public Administration XII(1)
Publication date: 2000
Harriet Birungi, Ph.D.
Senior Associate and Country Director
A comparison of the sexual and reproductive experiences and intentions of adolescents perinatally infected with HIV to those of other adolescents in Uganda (abstract)Poster presentation at Population Association of America Annual Meeting, Detroit, 1 May
Obare,Francis; Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2009
Adolescents living with HIV require sexual and reproductive health information and services
Presentation at the International Conference on Family Planning: Research and Best Practices, Kampala, 16 November
Birungi,Harriet; Onyango,Francis; Nyombi,Juliana K.; Nyinkavu,Hannington
Publication date: 2009
Expanding access to reproductive health and maternal health services for adolescents living with HIV
Paper presented at Integrating HIV/AIDS and Maternal Health Services, Global Health Initiative, Washington DC, 3 December
Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2009
HIV/AIDS, knowledge of serostatus, and sexual and reproductive experiences and intentions of adolescents in Uganda (abstract)
Presentation at the XXVI IUSSP International Population Conference, Marrakech, 28 September
Obare,Francis; Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2009
Learning to live and love: Comprehensive sexuality education to young people perinatally infected with HIV
Paper presented at the XVII International AIDS Conference, Mexico City, 3-8 August
Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2008
Sexuality of adolescents perinatally infected with HIV in Uganda: Programmatic implications
Paper presented at the XVII International AIDS Conference, Mexico City, 3-8 August
Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2008
Addressing the reproductive health needs of adolescents perinatally infected with HIV
Presentation at USAID, Washington DC, 10 September
Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2007
HIV/AIDS programming and sexuality of young people perinatally infected with HIV (abstract) (PDF)
in Proceedings of the International Conference on Actions to Strengthen Linkages between Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS, Mumbai, 4-8 February
Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2007
Sexual and reproductive health needs of young people perinatally infected with HIV in Uganda: Preliminary findings from the diagnostic study
Presentation made a TASO Head office, Mulago, Uganda, 21 June
Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2007
Sexuality and illness: Private lives of young people perinatally infected with HIV in Uganda
Presentation made at the 2007 Sexuality Institute on Silent Sexualities: Love, Desire and Constructive Welling, Mombasa, 28 October-2 November 2
Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2007
What do we know about young people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS
Presentation made at the APHIA II Partners meeting, Nairobi, 6 June
Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2007
Adaptation of international best practices: Focused antenatal care in Ghana, Kenya and South Africa
Presentation at the Reproductive Health Priorities Conference, Cape Town, October
Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2006
Meeting the HIV/STI prevention needs of MSM in Nairobi, Kenya
Presentation at The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Annual Meeting, 2006 HIV/AIDS Implementers' Meeting -- Building on Success: Ensuring Long-term Solutions, Durban, 12-15 June
Geibel,Scott; Onyango-Ouma,Washington; Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2006
Notions of sexuality: Understanding and addressing sexual and reproductive health desires of young people perinatally infected with HIV in Uganda
Presentation to the Interdisciplinary Task Force on Social Science Perspectives on African Women's Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS Services, Barcelona, 20-24 November
Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2006
Sexual practices, risk taking, and HIV prevention among men who have sex with men in Nairobi, Kenya
Poster presentation at the 11th Reproductive Health Research Priorities Conference, Sun City, South Africa, 5-9 October
Geibel,Scott; Onyango-Ouma,Washington; Birungi,Harriet
Publication date: 2004
Contact
E-mail: hbirungi@popcouncil.org
Address:
Harriet Birungi
Population Council
General Accident House
Ralph Bunche Road
Nairobi, Kenya
+254 20 271 3480
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