“There is need for political support, legal frameworks to ensure credibility and guide the use of technologies and data[1]”.
In line with the theme for Digital Health Week 2022, ‘Bridging the Technical – Political Divide’, Transform Health Kenya Coalition joined the global community to raise awareness on the importance of harnessing digital technologies and use of data to achieve UHC. The coalition engaged in conversations that focused on digital and data governance as well as advocacy for stronger health data governance. During the week-long event, 10th October 2022 to 16th October 2022, five events were convened by the Transform Health Kenya Coalition as follows:
An introductory video Introducing Transform Health Kenya’s #DigitalHealthWeek Campaign was aired on 10th October to introduce the digital health week campaign and declare support for the theme. This was followed by a discussion by coalition members on what digital health is and why it is important as well as whether Kenya has made any progress in harnessing Digital Health Technologies? Coalition members representing digital health experts, organizations working with key populations, young people, women, and people living with HIV provided their perspectives on this topic. A further conversation explored digital health and universal health coverage, and whether Kenya has made any progress in achieving Universal Health Coverage. The coalition then explored the need for an enabling legal and policy framework on digital health technologies in Kenya. This discussion showcased the need for Kenya to create a legislative and policy framework to ensure the right safeguards when sharing health data.
“There are a lot of good things that come out of digital health technologies, but we have to create safe measures to protect particularly vulnerable communities as they enter into these spaces and ensure that it doesn’t become a secondary place for them to suffer violence” Nerima Were, Deputy Executive Director, KELIN
A Webinar conversation Is my health data safe; Has Kenya made any progress in the data protection framework? interrogated the Data Protection Act. The webinar discussed the legislative and technological progress made in Kenya in terms of protecting health data and the use of digital health technologies to improve service delivery.
In conclusion, important messages and reflections were shared that speak to the need to create an enabling environment for adoption and use of digital health technologies to achieve universal health coverage. A landscape analysis of digital health and universal health coverage in Kenya undertaken by the coalition had established that:
- Digital technologies have the potential to support health systems in health promotion and disease prevention, and by improving the accessibility, quality, and affordability of health services.
- Under the Third Medium Term Plan, Kenya prioritized digital health programmes as one of the flagship projects to expedite the development of the healthcare industry. The plan is for the government to digitise services and adopt technologies such as e-health, m-health, telemedicine and space technologies by leveraging on the improved ICT infrastructure and mobile penetration rates (stated to stand at over 80 per cent).
- These priorities towards achieving UHC through digital health programmes are supported by the Constitution of Kenya, specifically Article 43(1)(a) that guarantees every Kenyan the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services, including reproductive health care.
- The priorities are further supported by relevant legislation including the Health Act 2017 which obligates the national government to promote the use of appropriate health technologies for improving the quality of health care; and recognizes e-health as a mode of health service.
- In order to ensure implementation of eHealth provisions of the Health Act, section 104 mandates the Cabinet Secretary to ensure the enactment of e-legislation.
Therefore, Transform Health Kenya Coalition recommends that both national and county governments adopt people-centered digital health technologies in UHC pilot and implementation schemes. Such technologies should facilitate access to health services, for all, including youth, women, and vulnerable and marginalized populations. Further, the Coalition calls on both national and county governments to take greater ownership and leadership through initiation, financing and provision of technical support for digital health programmes and steer them towards national and county priorities.
The Coalition is grateful to representatives from KELIN, Kenya Health Informatics Association (KEHIA), Partners for Health and Development in Africa (PHDA), Key Populations Consortium, Love Matters, Strathmore University Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law, and the Global Network of People Living with HIV for taking part in pre-recorded interviews and webinar sessions. See below links to the pre-recorded videos:
- Introducing Transform Health Kenya’s #DigitalHealthWeek Campaign
- What is digital health and why is it important as well as whether Kenya has made any progress in harnessing Digital Health Technologies?
- Digital health and universal health coverage, and whether Kenya has made any progress in achieving Universal Health Coverage.
- An enabling legal and policy framework on digital health technologies in Kenya.
For more information, please contact:
Martha Ogutu | Health Governance
Kuwinda Lane,off Langata Road, Karen C
P O Box 112 – 00202 KNH Nairobi
Tel: 020, 2515790 │Mobile: +254 726 419 173
E-mail: marthaogutu@kelinkenya.org
[1] ‘Digital health has potential to address system gaps’ by Pamela Adhiambo, The Star blog, posted on 17th October 2022 https://www.the-star.co.ke/opinion/star-blogs/2022-10-17-adhiambo-digital-health-has-potential-to-address-system-gaps/
