Nakuru: Nakuru County has committed to embracing digital revolution to transform health care service delivery across the devolved unit, towards enhancing efficiency and transparency within the health sector. Governor Susan Kihika stated that her government was employing cutting edge digital systems in all its operations in the health sector to harness technology for better health management.
According to Kenya News Agency, from electronic health records to automated appointment scheduling, the County administration is successfully implementing digitized health systems that streamline patient care, record keeping on patients, and availability of drug stocks in addition to overall health care management. The governor made the remarks in a speech delivered on her behalf by County Executive Committee Member for Health Services Ms. Roselyn Mungai during the close of a two-day training program for healthcare workers on the Taifa Care digital health platform.
Kihika pointed out that the Tujenge Jamii system, a paperless technology, had not only enhanced the efficiency of medical practitioners but also significantly improved patient experiences. The governor explained that the training will enhance the county government’s commitment to improve efficiency, data management, and streamline service delivery across beneficiary health care facilities.
The practical training equipped frontline health workers with skills in patient registration, electronic records management, data quality, reporting, and troubleshooting common system challenges. Participants also engaged in hands-on learning sessions designed to improve confidence and accuracy in the use of digital health tools during routine service delivery.
Kihika noted that the initiative was part of ongoing efforts to strengthen health information systems and support continuity of care by ensuring patient information is accurately captured and easily accessible. She said the County was advancing the vision of a modern, technology-driven health system that delivers efficient, patient-centered services by enhancing digital competencies among healthcare workers.
The training aims to support better decision-making through quality data, helping health managers track performance, strengthen referrals, and improve healthcare outcomes for residents across the county. The exercise included training healthcare workers to collect, analyze, and use data through standardized, unified systems to make data-driven decisions about improving healthcare for patients.
The Health CECM Rosalyne Mungai highlighted that real-time data access empowers health officials to make informed decisions promptly, leading to more efficient health care delivery in all public hospitals. She further indicated that Nakuru County had transitioned to an electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS) to boost community health promoters’ work, with over 2,000 CHPs using electronic gadgets for household registration, patient screening, treatment, and referrals.
The Electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS) is a national project launched by the Ministry of Health comprising a SmartHealth Mobile Phone application. By leveraging technology, Ms. Mungai observed that healthcare workers will access real-time patient information, track health trends, and identify potential outbreaks promptly, transforming the way patient data is collected, managed, and shared.
Two years ago, the County Government rolled out an electronic health register designed to improve data collection, storage, and analysis, enhancing healthcare outcomes and improving patient experiences. The technology allows patients at the grassroots level to interact remotely with healthcare providers, ensuring proper records are kept.
The County Government of Nakuru is collaborating with a United Kingdom-based software developer to automate medical records and revenue collection at all public health institutions. Elephant Healthcare Turnkey Solution, headquartered in London, is initially digitizing delivery of services at Bahati, Langalanga, and Olenguruone Sub County Hospitals on a pilot basis, complementing the Department of Health Services’ efforts to automate medical health records with the Electronic Medical Records- EMR system.
