Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has allayed the fears about the safety of health data even as he urged Kenyans to be patient with the government reforms in the health sector.
Appearing before the Senate Delegated Legislation Committee, Duale assured Kenyans that the new health system, which seeks to, among other things, unify patients' records, is tamper-proof.
“I would like to assure Kenyans that their health data will be safe with the health data controllers implementing secure network infrastructure,” Duale said.
The CS disclosed said the infrastructure is permeated with firewalls, intrusion detection systems and vulnerability assessments.
He added that the digital health system will help track down the supply of drugs to health facilities by the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency.
The former Environment and Defense CS also dispelled claims that the system is being hosted in a foreign country.
“We cannot give the health data of our citizens to outsiders, foreigners and foreign countries. That touches on the sovereignty of our country,” he said.
“I want to assure that this system is Kenyan owned. We have put all the safeguards. Kenyan run.”
Duale appeared before the panel chaired by Tharaka Nithi Senator Mwenda Gataya to shed light on the Digital Health Regulations the government seeks to put in place.
He said the regulations are aimed at revolutionising the health sector in the country.
Duale told Senators that the Digital Health Agency, an entity that will oversee the system, will ensure that health data in the system is protected through the health data cycle.
He said that no person or entity shall access the health data unless authorized by the client or the health data controller.
Duale said the system will provide evidence-based health financing which will reduce the funds that have been lost in the past in the sector by sealing all the loopholes that have been used by cartels in the past to siphon off billions of the shillings through insurance fraud.
The Cabinet Secretary who took over the health docket last week in a reshuffle done by President William Ruto promised to ensure that Taifa Care works to ensure that the downtrodden can get essential medical services without a struggle.
“I am one week old in this docket, but I promise Kenyans that I will ensure that despite not being a medical professional, I will ensure that citizens get quality medical care by having Taifa care working to serve all Kenyans who are in need,” he stated.
He said that the digital health system will help do away with quacks who have taken advantage of gullible Kenyans, leading to deaths that could have been avoided.
“I am beseeching on Kenyans to give the government a chance to implement the changes in the health sector which are meant for the good of the citizens,” Duale said.
He told Senators that the Kenya Health Data Governance Framework shall be the reference document for the management of health data and shall govern the collection, access, sharing and use of health data.
Duale said that the agency shall ensure that health data controllers and health data processors comply with the requirements specified under the Kenya Health Data Governance Framework in the management of health data.
The new health 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.
The Health Information Exchange (HIE) will unify patient records across all levels of care.
