Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital in Nairobi has been designated as the central storage and distribution hub for digital health equipment intended for county health facilities. According to the hospital’s CEO, Martin Wafula Wekesa, the deployment of this technology—including tablets that convert doctor-patient conversations into written records—will improve efficiency and allow health workers to serve more patients daily. Currently, the facility handles about 680 patients a day, a number expected to rise with improved workflows.
Wekesa underscored the value of a nationwide patient portal that would allow any doctor in Kenya to access a patient’s medical history. “This eliminates repetitive questioning and streamlines care delivery,” he said.
The Ministry of Health plans to distribute 74,000 tablets and computers to healthcare workers across all 47 counties and national referral hospitals. As part of the digitisation drive, 325 Smart Primary Care Networks will be established, with healthcare workers receiving digital training. This move will also support the development of an electronic health insurance claims platform for all public health facilities.
