Kang'ata accuses State of putting lives at risk with AfyaKE shutdown

Health services in Murang’a County have been disrupted following the disconnection of the county’s digital health system by the national government.

Services at several health facilities have been scaled down after patient treatment records stored on the AfyaKE platform became inaccessible. Claims worth millions of shillings that the county had uploaded to the Social Health Authority (SHA) system are also reportedly missing.

Governor Irungu Kang’ata criticised the national government for switching off the system, warning that the loss of patient records dating back to 2023 could put lives at risk and compromise treatment.

The disruption initially affected Level Two and Three health facilities before spreading to Murang’a Level Five Hospital and other facilities.

Kang’ata said the national government had switched off the system to compel the county to adopt the Tabibu platform, after the Digital Health Authority, the Ministry of Health and SHA jointly declined to certify AfyaKE as a system capable of facilitating health information exchange.

“The health services at all levels have been scaled down following the loss of data belonging to thousands of patients,” said Kang’ata, who was accompanied by County Executive Committee Member for Health Dr Fredrick Mbugua and Chief Officer Eliud Maina.

He said services would be restored once all 170 health facilities were connected to the Tabibu platform, a process he expected to take three days, including training healthcare workers to use the system.

“The shocking scenario is that AfyaKE was free, contrary to Matibabu, which we shall be paying to connect,” said Kang’ata.

He said the shutdown had occurred despite assurances from Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale that the crucial platform would not be switched off.

“Through AfyaKE, Murang’a made tremendously in increasing revenue collection from health facilities from Sh 80 million annually to more than Sh 800 million,” said Kang’ata.

AfyaKE, a national government initiative, was adopted and enhanced by software developers in Murang’a. The platform has been used to store patient records since 2023.

Meanwhile, the county has continued to expand health infrastructure under its development strategy, including Murang’a Level Five Hospital, Nyakianga Dispensary, Kirwara Hospital and Kandara Hospital.