Safaricom has disclosed a Ksh104 billion investment plan for Kenya’s health digitization project as part of government’s agenda to digitize healthcare services.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa announced that the telco will partner with Apeiro Limited and Konvergenz Network Solutions Limited to implement an Integrated Healthcare Information Technology System (IHTS) over the next 10 years.
Ndegwa noted that the project will operate under a model that allows the Ministry of Health to avoid upfront capital and operational expenses, with costs recouped through monthly installments starting in February 2025.
“This project structure allows the Ministry to deploy a comprehensive digital health solution without incurring any upfront capital expenditure (CapEx) or operational expenditure (OpEx),” said Ndegwa.
Key features of the health digitization project
The IHTS will integrate several components in an effort to streamline Kenya’s healthcare system.
One key element is the Health Information Exchange (HIE), which will enable health facilities across the country to share patient records, reducing fragmentation in healthcare services and ensuring continuity of care.
Additionally, the consortium will implement a standards-based Integrated Hospital Management Information System (IHMIS) to digitize operations in public health facilities, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and county governments.
Another key aspect of the project is the digitization of the health products and technology (HPT) supply chain which will address long-standing challenges related to stockouts and the tracking of pharmaceuticals, ensuring greater transparency and better management of medical supplies at the patient level.
Further, robust cybersecurity measures will be put in place to ensure that all patient data remains secure and in compliance with the law.
“Safaricom and its consortium partners will support the Ministry in training public health professionals, managing the project, and rolling out various technology components nationwide,” Ndegwa added.
