Kirinyaga County Government is the third to adopt the national government’s health digitisation initiative, which aims to improve service management, streamline delivery, and enable seamless record sharing.
It follows Mombasa and Embu counties, which are already in the process of digitisation.
Speaking during the launch of the initiative at the County Headquarters in Kutus, Kirinyaga Governor, Ann Waiguru said digitising health systems will ensure that health facilities are more streamlined, with real-time access to patient data, enhanced care coordination, and reduced administrative burdens.
“The shift to digital platforms will enhance the efficiency of our healthcare services, reduce paperwork, and ensure that healthcare professionals have access to real-time patient data, helping them make better, more informed decisions,” she added.
She said that the health digitisation initiative involves training health workers in devolved units on the use of the Electronic Health Information System (EHIS), providing tablets and devices to health facilities and workers, and transitioning to a non-paper-based system.
“By embracing digital solutions, we are laying the foundation for a healthcare system that is more transparent and ultimately more responsive to the needs of our citizens, moving toward the vision of universal health coverage,” the governor noted.
Waiguru noted that Kirinyaga has made significant strides in digitising its health services, with Kerugoya County Referral Hospital already using the Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) to deliver healthcare services.
Waiguru used the opportunity to ask the Ministry of Health to review Social Health Authority (SHA) guidelines requiring contributors to pay for their medical cover by the 9th of every month, arguing some of the employees of county governments across the country are unable to benefit from SHA medical cover due to late remittance of their contributions when the exchequer is delayed.
“County governments are not to blame for the delayed remittance of the workers’ contributions; staff from the devolved units should be exempted from the monthly payment deadline,” said Waiguru.
Former Medical Services Principal Secretary Harry Kimutai, who witnessed the launch of the digitisation, said the team from the national government will guide the county staff with the new primary health care model, including the capitation framework and benefits of the package.
He commended Governor Waiguru for her leadership and advocacy in advancing digitisation in the healthcare sector.
“Governor Waiguru lobbied for this programme during her tenure as Chair of the Council of Governors and played a key role in shaping its strategy,” he said.
Kimutai reaffirmed the government’s commitment to digital transformation, emphasising the full operationalisation of SHA.
President William Ruto’s Senior Advisor, Moses Kuria, asked private and faith-based hospitals to embrace SHA.
He emphasised that SHA is fully operational and all hiccups witnessed during the roll-out have been sorted out.
Kuria stated that digitisation will enable evidence-based decision-making, allowing for the tracking of all processes, including delays in services and identification of the medical personnel involved.
“The goal is to automate and make Kirinyaga the third fully paperless county in healthcare, ensuring an evidence-based system,” he stated.
By Mutai Kipngetich
