The digitization of healthcare facilities in Elgeyo Marakwet County officially commenced Thursday, marking a significant step toward improving service delivery and efficiency in the region.
Speaking during the launch, Principal Secretary (PS) for Medical Services Harry Kimtai highlighted the importance of the initiative noting that it follows extensive assessments and feedback from local healthcare facilities.
“Elgeyo Marakwet has 131 healthcare facilities, all of which will be equipped with ICT infrastructure. Today, we are officially handing over the necessary equipment to facilitate this transition,” Kimtai stated.
One of the major challenges the County has faced is the lack of ICT equipment, which has hindered the timely lodgment of claims necessary for healthcare facilities to receive payments from the Social Health Authority (SHA).
“With this rollout, healthcare facilities will now find it easier to lodge claims and receive payments from SHA, ensuring improved financial stability and service delivery,” Kimtai explained.
He also pointed out that Elgeyo Marakwet has a predominantly public healthcare system, with only two private hospitals and three faith-based facilities.
“Strengthening our public health facilities is critical. By digitizing these facilities, we aim to enhance service quality, particularly in managing patient records and claims processing under SHA,” he added.
Kimtai announced that the government has set a 34-day timeline to complete the digitization of all healthcare facilities in the county.
“Elgeyo Marakwet is one of 10 counties prioritized for this initiative. Our target is to have full digitization in these counties by October 1, when SHA will mark its first anniversary,” he revealed.
He expressed optimism about SHA’s impact, noting that it has significantly improved healthcare funding in the region.
“We have received positive feedback from healthcare facility owners. Some facilities that previously did not receive NHIF funds are now benefiting from SHA. This demonstrates that the system is working, and we urge other counties to accelerate their digitization efforts,” Kimtai said.
He further disclosed that the next phase of the program will focus on counties in the Nyanza region, including Kisumu and Homa Bay.
“Collaboration with County governors is crucial in mobilizing healthcare workers and training them on SHA benefit packages, which have sometimes posed challenges for both staff and patients,” he explained.
Moses Kuria, Economic Adviser in the Office of the President, reassured residents that all healthcare facilities would be connected to electricity to support the digitization process.
“With 95 percent of the county’s healthcare facilities being public, they are the primary beneficiaries of SHA. Previously, NHIF mainly benefitted private hospitals, but with this system, public hospitals are now receiving substantial support,” Kuria noted.
He further revealed that since November, Elgeyo Marakwet County has received Sh75 million in SHA disbursements, with 45 percent of the population already registered under the scheme.
“This is a major achievement, and we are committed to further improving healthcare services through digital integration,” he observed.
By Rennish Okong’o
