The Ministry of Health has signalled a major shift in healthcare regulation with plans to digitally track and verify all medical practitioners and health processes across the country.
Speaking during a consultative meeting with Development Partners in Health Kenya (DPHK), Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced that, under the government’s digitisation agenda, only certified and registered professionals will be permitted to provide healthcare services.
He noted that digitisation will enhance service delivery, enable telemedicine, track and trace health products to end users, and ensure only qualified professionals provide care.
''We are building an integrated digital framework to align donor support with national goals and ensure long-term sustainability,'' Duale said.
This crackdown is part of the broader implementation of the Digital Health Act, which mandates the registration, integration, and regulation of all health systems, including health workers, through the newly established Digital Health Agency.
The initiative seeks to curb the proliferation of unlicensed medics and quack clinics that have taken advantage of regulatory loopholes, especially in informal settlements and rural areas.
Once operational, the digital framework will require health workers to be logged into a central system that verifies their qualifications, licensing status, and areas of expertise.
Patients visiting both public and private facilities will be able to confirm whether their caregiver is accredited. This move is expected to enhance accountability and patient safety, but may also expose gaps in workforce distribution and credentialing across counties.
Meanwhile, the CS also briefed DPHK on Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) progress, built on six key pillars: publicly financed primary health care, a rights-based social health insurance model, transparent digital health systems, strengthened emergency and referral services, sustainable health commodity security, and a motivated, well-distributed workforce.
He further underscored the need for coordinated efforts, aligned investments, and joint accountability, which he termed essential for effective health delivery.
He committed to institutionalising the existing partnership framework based on the principles of "one national plan, one budget, and one monitoring and evaluation framework."
On May 26, the Kenya Medical and Dentists Council announced that healthcare facilities will henceforth be required to register online following the launch of a fully digital registration that aims to streamline operations, promote transparency, and enhance service delivery.
To register through the new system, applicants need to access the KMPDC portal online to fill in personal details, including their full name, email and password.
