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{
"id": 1479047,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1479047/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Endebess, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Robert Pukose",
"speaker": null,
"content": "activities, regulation of the activities of providing healthcare, education, cultural services and other social services, excluding social security, market research and public opinion polling, computer consultancy and computer facilities management activities, data processing, hosting and related activities. It is owned by Sirius International Holding which offer 25 subsidiaries and presence in over 28 countries. It is an international holding company which is the largest in United Arab Emirates (UAE) with over US$250 billion market capitalisation and 479 subsidiaries across nine industries. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I wish to inform this House that the system being procured is not only a social health system but also a national integrated information technology system for the entire health sector—a digital superhighway. Therefore, it will not only manage social health insurance but also provide for the various components aimed at delivering a comprehensive and integrated healthcare system for the country. These components encompass the development of a health information management system, a health information exchange platform, core business services such as provision of telemedicine, and track and trace pharmaceutical products. The Social Health Authority Insurance management platform, an enterprise resource planning system, national logistics, and supply chain management software, a learning platform and analytic system as well as the necessary digital health infrastructure to support these systems. The Ministry of Health averred to the Committee that it secured the necessary approvals from the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and the Attorney General for the use of the specially permitted procurement procedure with the main justification for the procurement of the system being the obligation set out in Section 105 of the Health Act, Cap.241 of 2017. This section provides for the establishment and maintenance of a comprehensive and integrated health information system by the Ministry of Health. The Ministry also clarified that due diligence on the contract had been conducted by Kaplan and Stratton Advocates, and not Danton, Hamilton, Harrison, and Matthews as widely reported on social media. Hon. Deputy Speaker, the Committee had also expressed concerns about electricity and network connectivity challenges in certain hospitals especially those in remote areas. The Ministry of Health and the Social Health Authority (SHA) acknowledged the issue noting that 4,065 health hospitals face difficulties with power and internet access. To mitigate these challenges, hospitals will receive devices with power banks for power backup. Additionally, the digital system will function in offline mode ensuring hospitals can operate without internet access. The Ministry of Health is also collaborating with the Ministry of Energy to secure infrastructure upgrades including reliable electricity to facilitate the full implementation of the digital health system. The Ministry further assured the Committee that there are, at least, three connectivity lines available to support the system in case of system turn down or failure. The Ministry of Health, and the SHA in the meeting held with the Committee yesterday, Monday, 30th September 2024, highlighted its preparedness on the rollout of access to social health benefits. The Ministry submitted that as of 20th September 2024, the SHA system had registered approximately 2 million new members while 9 million members from the NHIF system were to be transitioned to the SHA platform. In conclusion, the integrated health information technology system if implemented by the Ministry of Health in the manner that the latter explained to the Committee would contribute significantly to the digitisation and modernisation of Kenya's health care system ensuring accessible, affordable and high-quality care for all Kenyans, as envisioned in the Kenya Health Policy 2014 – 2030 and the Kenya Universal Health Coverage Policy 2020 – 2030. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I submit. 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."
}