Head of Division Research and Innovation at the Ministry of Health Dr Joyce Wamicwe has underscored the importance of digital health in service delivery.
Wamicwe said digital health is a significant pillar towards realisation of service delivery at all health facilities.
This, she said, is in line with the government's pursuit of implementation of Universal Health Coverage.
Wamicwe was speaking on day 3 of the ongoing HIV Service Delivery Integration Summit in Mombasa.
She noted that digital health provides a framework for provision of e-health services, establishes an integrated e-health management information system, data governance and protection of personal health information, and service delivery through digital health interventions among others.
She reiterated the implications held by last year's parliament-approved digital health Act to the local health sector.
She said it is expected to enhance healthcare delivery through more efficient and integrated services, facilitate data management and portability, and potentially position Kenya as a leader in digital health in the region.
The Kenya Health Management Information Systems project aims to ensure that HIV data collection paper records are digitised.
This will scale up data availability towards the delivery of patient-centered care and improve data demand and use for individual-level data.
Various initiatives are underway to support the use of telemedicine in Kenya to support the delivery of healthcare to all particularly in rural locations.
It will also help resolve challenges including long waiting times to see specialists, poor health outcomes and a lack of timely quality care.
"We champion local manufacturing of health products and technologies, promoting self-reliance and cost-effectiveness in our healthcare sector," Wamicwe said.
She added: "Digital solutions such as telemedicine and electronic health records have simplified healthcare delivery and improved the patient experience."
According to the ministry, digital health stands at the forefront of Kenya’s efforts to achieve UHC.
The summit has been organised under the theme, 'Re-imagining HIV in the Health Sector 2024'.
