NAIROBI, Kenya – Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating fragmentation in Kenya’s health sector through full digitization of systems and services.
Speaking during a high-level consultative meeting with development partners in Nairobi on Tuesday, Duale said all health systems—both existing and new—must now be certified and integrated under the newly established Digital Health Agency, in line with the Digital Health Act.
“We are building an integrated digital framework to align donor support with national goals and ensure long-term sustainability,” Duale said.
The CS noted that digitisation will not only enhance service delivery and facilitate telemedicine, but also ensure traceability of medical products and guarantee that only qualified professionals provide care.
He said the digital shift is a cornerstone of the country’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) drive, which is built on six pillars:
- publicly financed primary health care,
- a rights-based social health insurance model,
- transparent digital systems,
- strengthened emergency and referral services,
- sustainable health commodity security, and
- a motivated, well-distributed workforce.
Duale stressed the need for coordinated investments and joint accountability in the sector, advocating a unified approach based on “one national plan, one budget, and one monitoring and evaluation framework.”
DPHK Chair Serawit Bruck-Landais reaffirmed development partners’ support for Kenya’s UHC goals under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The meeting also reviewed key reform areas including:
- KEMSA restructuring,
- health expenditure tracking,
- resource mapping and mobilisation, and
- strengthening outbreak response mechanisms.
Duale expressed gratitude to the Development Partners for Health in Kenya (DPHK) for their continued support in policy development, financing, and capacity building, while urging a move from fragmented goodwill to structured alignment.
Separately, during an April 4 appearance before the Senate Delegated Legislation Committee, Duale assured Kenyans of the security of their health data under the new digital infrastructure.
“Our systems are protected by firewalls, intrusion detection mechanisms, and continuous vulnerability assessments,” he said, reaffirming that patient records will remain secure and unified under the digital rollout.
