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{
    "id": 1343986,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1343986/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 169,
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    "content": "coverage. By adopting these health technologies, the country can ensure everyone has access to the healthcare they need regardless of their financial situation. This Bill establishes the digital health agency, which establishes a comprehensive integrated digital health information system in fulfilment of section 105 of the Health Act (No.21 of 2017). It obligates the Cabinet Secretary to establish an integrated health information system relating to the national Government health functions in every county in respect to the county functions. This agency will be domiciled within the Ministry of Health. This Bill seeks to consolidate and harmonise information obtained from both levels of Government. It also provides for an inter-governmental or county-to-county integrated system where they can communicate and link matters health. The Bill further states the minimum standard applicable for establishing and maintaining digital health information systems. It further provides the mechanisms for inter-connectivity between each county’s information system and the national system. This will assist all levels of Government in coming up with consumer-focused and prevention-oriented care at all levels of healthcare services, which will ultimately care for the disease burden within the country. We had immense contributions from the Council of Governors (CoG) in this Bill and, therefore, the counties were ably represented. The Bill facilitates the retention of the right to protection of personal information as granted under Article 31 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, and the Data Protection Act (No.24 of 2019). The enactment of the Data Protection Act (No.24 of 2019) presented new challenges for the health sector in Kenya as the sector handles sensitive patient data whose protection requires more safeguards. Therefore, the Bill fills this gap, which is crucial because privacy concerns and data breaches are now more prevalent. This Bill enhances the health data governance framework in the country by requiring healthcare providers and health facilities to adopt mechanisms to ensure the safety and security of patients’ information. It also gives Kenyans the ability to have control over their data, particularly in health facilities, as they must provide consent before collecting, processing and sharing their personal health-related information. This Bill further regulates the processing of health data that contains sensitive personal data through chronological mediums such as telemedicine. In this regard, the Bill requires health providers and technological platforms that offer telemedicine to put in place several safeguards, including anonymisation and de-identification of sensitive personal data. This way, the Bill regulates largely unregulated telemedicine and e-Health platforms, among others, which will guarantee the safety of Kenyans using such platforms. Yesterday, the President launched the distribution of community health promoters’ kits. Those kits have gadgets that can collect sensitive information, which will be sent to the digital health agency, whereby any information pertaining to the disease burden within various areas can be interpreted and stored for access in healthcare delivery within our country. We can also monitor who is working and who is not. We will have close to 100,000 healthcare providers in all corners of this country, and they will be present in every constituency. Each healthcare provider will oversee 100 households. Within those households, they can take information about what diseases people have, what can be referred to, what can be advised in terms of management, and what other preventive measures can be put in place. All this information will be captured within this gadget, m-Health, which means mobile health. This can be sent to the digital health agency where this information can be stored. We also have e-waste in terms of how to dispose of information and at what time. So, once the House Business Committee approves the Committee of the whole House for this Bill, we will discuss further and look at the amendments that have been made by the Committee, The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}