Health ministry rolls out new IT system for affordable care
BY JUDY SHERI (PCO)
The Ministry of Health is implementing an Integrated Healthcare Information Technology Management System (IHTS) to make healthcare affordable and accessible to all Kenyans.
Medical Services Principal Secretary Harry Kimutai states that the ministry is committed to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to ensure that every Kenyan has access to quality healthcare, regardless of location or economic status.
In a press release, Kimutai emphasized that this commitment is not merely a project but a national mission to save lives, save time, and reduce costs for all Kenyans.
To support the implementation of the UHC blueprint, the Principal Secretary announced that the Ministry of Health has awarded a contract for the IHTS implementation to a consortium led by Safaricom Plc. The consortium includes the global patient-care digitization firm Apeiro Limited (Apeiro Digital) and the enterprise technology firm Konvergenz Network Solutions Limited (KNS).
Notably, the Safaricom Consortium will invest the full project cost and recover their investment over ten years through monthly installments, which will commence in February 2025, contingent upon the successful implementation of the project.
He said the structure of the project will enable the ministry to roll out the IHTS System without incurring any upfront capital expenditure (Capex) and operating expenditure (Opex).
“The investment cost Sh104,808,136,478 billion is a bold step towards building a comprehensive healthcare infrastructure that will touch the lives of all Kenyans,” the PS said.
The IHTS System covers a wide range of components, from infrastructure to technology, to training of public healthcare professionals and system maintenance, and is aimed at providing long-term benefits to every Kenyan.
He said the Health Information Exchange (HIE) will unify patient records across all levels of care.
“For too long, our healthcare system has been fragmented with patient histories scattered across different facilities which has led to delays in diagnosis, inappropriate treatments, and even the denial of life-saving care,” the PS said.
The Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) for all public health facilities will be deployed in partnership with the county governments and will digitize the operations of all public health facilities, allowing doctors and healthcare professionals to access (under consent management) patient records instantly, make informed clinical decisions, and provide care that is tailored to each patient’s needs.