Policy brief: Human Rights Implications of Health Care Digitalisation in Kenya

News Update |

This policy brief draws on the key findings of a human rights impact assessment of Digital Health Services to make concrete recommendations for a human rights-based digitalisation of health care services in Kenya.

Drawing on a human rights impact assessment conducted in October-November 2024, the brief shows how the transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) has faced significant challenges that impact the right to health, particularly for vulnerable and marginalised groups and addresses broader concerns as to the role of digitalisation in health care management and its implications for service delivery. 

Notably, Kenya’s journey towards a rights-based digital health system requires a coordinated approach that addresses infrastructure, regulatory enforcement, gender equality, and resource allocation and management. By adopting the recommendations found in this brief, Kenya can create a digital health environment that not only advances healthcare service delivery but also protects, promotes and respects the rights of all its citizens, particularly those most at risk of exclusion.

Recommendations on the NHIF-SHIF Transition

1. Enhance digital infrastructure: Fully operationalize the SHA platform and integrate it with existing systems like Kenya Health Information System and Kenya Electronic Medical Records.

2. Conduct public awareness campaigns: Educate citizens on SHA benefits and processes to dispel misinformation and encourage enrolment.

3. Expedite empanelment of facilities: Increase the accreditation of healthcare providers to ensure uninterrupted access to services.

4. Strengthen National-County coordination: Align roles, resources, and responsibilities to streamline service delivery under the devolved healthcare framework as stipulated under the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution.

5. Review contribution models: Adjust means-testing mechanisms to ensure affordability, especially for vulnerable and marginalized populations.

6. Prioritize capacity building: Train healthcare workers and Community Health Promoters to effectively navigate the transition and support beneficiaries.

7. Incorporate stakeholder feedback: Deliberately establish clear communication channels and include healthcare workers, vulnerable and marginalized groups in the design and implementation of SHA systems to promote inclusivity.

8. Clarify referral pathways: Define roles for various healthcare levels under the Primary Health Care Act to simplify patient navigation.

9. Ensure accountability and transparency: Regularly audit the transition to address and mitigate inefficiencies and restore public trust.

Read the full policy brief here.

Research Partners

The research into the human rights impacts of digital health services in Kenya was conducted in partnership between the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights – Kenya’s National Human Rights Institution, CIPESA – The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa which works to promote effective and inclusive ICT policy, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights – Denmark’s national human rights institution which works internationally to address the human rights implications of technology use.