Transform Health Kenya Hosts Digital Health Week Conference 2023

Transform Health Kenya partners are urging the government to fast-track the implementation of the recently enacted Digital Health Act 2023. They note that its enactment marks the first step in a long journey, emphasizing that effective implementation is crucial to ensure that digital health solutions contribute to the achievement of universal health coverage (UHC) and the realization of the right to health for all.

This call was made during the #digitalhealthweek2023 national conference hosted in Nairobi, Kenya by the Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (KELIN), as national coordinator of Transform Health Coalition, in collaboration with PharmAccess. During the two-day conference held on 7th and 8th November 2023, #digitalhealth stakeholders were united in recognising that the political goodwill and government digital health agenda presented a unique opportunity which if implemented in an inclusive, participatory and in collaboration with all stakeholders will ensure the use of digital health technologies at the national and county government enhances access to equitable, affordable and quality health care.

The #digitalhealthweek2023 conference themed reflecting on the journey to utilize digital health technologies to achieve universal health coverage in Kenya was attended by over 100 national stakeholders representing diverse partners including young people, women, key and affected populations, HIV, TB, NCDs affected communities, Ministry of Health, County Governments, Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, research institutions, private and public health care providers, health informatics, professional bodies, legal experts, academia, innovators, regulators, among others.

Some of the other key recommendations from the conference included:

  1. Both government and innovators were urged to implement digital health solutions that address unique needs, preferences, and experiences of the local populations (including young people, women, key and vulnerable populations) while ensuring accessibility, affordability, and scalability of the solutions. Meaningful involvement of local communities in planning, designing, and implementing digital health programmes is key.
  2. Data protection and protection of human rights of users is critical for the success of digital health interventions. It was recommended that enforcement laws, including the Data Protection Act 2019, Digital Health Act 2023 and cyber security regulations be top priority during the roll out of the government digital health agenda.
  3. Both national and county governments were urged to allocate sufficient resources, both financial and otherwise, for the digital health agenda, including for human resource training and development, health system strengthening, research, innovations, among others

Moving forward, Transform Health Kenya will continue working with all stakeholders to monitor and advocate for implementation of digital health commitments aimed at ensuring achievement of #UHC, as well as ensure that such implementation involves communities including young people, women and key and affected populations.

The conference was convened as part of #digitalhealthweek2023 – a global initiative designed to promote public and political dialogue about the potential and challenges of digitally enabled health systems in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC.

Please see below video recordings of the conference incase you missed the conversation:

For more information about the Transform Health Kenya Digital Health Week Conference, please contact:

Timothy Wafula|Health & Governance

Karen C, Kuwinda Lane, Off Langata Road.

P O Box 112 – 00202 KNH Nrb,

E-mail: twafula@kelinkenya.org 

Website: www.kelinkenya.org