New digital system will improve hospital services, says Duale

Health CS Aden Duale makes his remarks at Sarova Stanley Hotel in Nairobi, June 29, 2026. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

All public hospitals have been directed to transition to a new digital health system.

The hospitals will migrate from the current Social Health Authority (SHA) provider portal to a new Hospital Management Information System (HMIS).

The transition was announced jointly by the Ministry of Health, the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the Digital Health Agency (DHA). The transition will be implemented in phases beginning today.

SHA CEO Dr Mercy Mwangangi with Health CS Aden Duale at Sarova Stanley Hotel in Nairobi, June 29, 2026. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

Level 2, 3 and 4 public health facilities have until today to transition, while Level 5 and 6 hospitals have until August 1. 

Private and faith-based facilities are expected to complete the transition by September.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the move marks a critical milestone in building a unified national digital health ecosystem.

Health CS Aden Duale, flanked by Health PS Dr Ouma Oluga on June 29, 2026, at Sarova Stanley Hotel in Nairobi. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

The system, the CS said, will improve efficiency, reduce fraud and ensure patients receive seamless healthcare services across the country.

“The Government is committed to delivering UHC through Taifa Care,” said Duale.

“Achieving UHC requires not only sustainable financing but also a strong and integrated digital health system,” he added.

Duale explained that the new system is expected to support real-time patient verification, electronic medical records, claims processing and pre-authorisation.

It will also support clinical documentation and secure exchange of health information between healthcare providers.

He said the transition will be carefully managed to avoid disruption of healthcare services.

“No data will be lost. Existing provider records and critical information will be securely migrated in line with data governance requirements,” he said.

The Ministry of Health said technical teams have been deployed to support healthcare facilities during the transition, with user training, system support and continuous improvements expected throughout the rollout.

Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr Ouma Oluga said digitalisation is one of the pillars of Kenya’s health reforms and will enable seamless sharing of patient records across healthcare facilities.

“Shared health records are critical in ensuring that our health system works efficiently for every Kenyan,” he said. 

Digital Health Agency Director Dr Joyce Wamicwe said the new system will allow patients’ medical records to follow them from one health facility to another, with patient consent, reducing unnecessary repetition of tests and improving continuity of care.

Under the new framework, healthcare providers will be required to update patients’ shared health records within 24 hours after treatment.

Facilities operating in areas with poor internet connectivity will have up to seven days to synchronise their records.

The official noted that all HMIS must first be certified by the DHA before integration into the national platform.

Healthcare facilities have also been directed to ensure they are fully licensed, have certified HMIS solutions, designate ICT support personnel and prepare their staff for the transition.

SHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Mercy Mwangangi said the authority expects all healthcare providers to be fully integrated into the system within the next three months.

She said the platform will provide real-time visibility of patient journeys, improve claims adjudication, speed up reimbursements and make fraudulent claims easier to detect.

“We want providers to be fully integrated so that there is real-time visibility of patients in health facilities, their care pathways and the services they receive,” she said.

Currently, the SHA provider portal is a central portal for all SHA operations. Each SHA contracted hospital exclusively uses the SHA provider portal.