The health data to be shared in the new agreement between the US and Kenya will be aggregated and not personally identifiable, United States Embassy Charge d’Affaires, Susan Burns, has clarified.
Speaking on Friday, December 5, 2025, Burns confirmed that the US will not have access to any private patient data, and that Kenya will continue to abide by its own privacy laws within the terms of this framework.
"The government of Kenya will continue to abide by [its] privacy laws. We are just putting on paper the similar policies that we've followed for many years, and any data-sharing going forward will be aggregated", Burns said.
According to Burns, the information to be shared will be statistical, such as tracking the total number of people on antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), rather than data identifying any individual person by name or other specific details.
The clarification follows explosive allegations by Adani whistleblower Nelson Amenya regarding the Ksh200 billion health security agreement between the two countries.
Furthermore, Burns added that a key part of the American investment is dedicated to strengthening Kenya’s own health information systems.
“The U.S. will provide funding to support the scaling up of Kenya’s electronic medical record (EMR) systems and other health data systems,” she said.
She further stated that this initiative was designed to help the Government of Kenya manage its own system efficiently, aligning with the overarching goal of shifting control to Kenyan sovereignty and self-reliance, rather than creating a parallel system for U.S. surveillance.
She added that the two countries had agreed in principle on the levels of assistance on each side, and still, implementation will be negotiated to ensure both sides stick to both ends of the bargain.
She explained that the deployment of these devices would continue gradually over time. She reiterated that this was a critical component in strengthening the data systems needed for the rollout of the EMR in all health facilities, which she said aligned with the government’s overall plan.
Earlier, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale had addressed concerns regarding the multi-billion health agreement following allegations of a potential data breach.
Duale strongly dismissed the claims, insisting that the country's health data remains secure and fully protected under the Kenyan laws.
