In a significant move aimed at modernizing its healthcare sector, Kenya has unveiled a new nationwide Biometric Health Identification (BHI) system and three other key digital innovations.

The launch, led by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale at the Kenyatta University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital (KUTRRH), marks a major step in the country’s push to leverage technology under the Digital Superhighway and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

The BHI system is designed to provide secure, document-free access to healthcare services using fingerprints.

This initiative is expected to drastically reduce fraud, minimize administrative paperwork, and shorten patient wait times.

The rollout, which began in Level 4-6 hospitals, is now being expanded to include Level 2 and 3 facilities, with 24 counties already adopting Hospital Management Information Systems (HMIS).

The BHI system is part of four innovations introduced to address long-standing challenges in the Kenyan healthcare system. For years, the sector has grappled with inefficiencies stemming from manual record-keeping, medical fraud, and the circulation of counterfeit drugs.

These issues have led to compromised patient safety, financial losses, and a lack of trust in the healthcare system. The new digital tools are specifically designed to tackle these problems head-on.

Alongside the BHI, three other innovations were launched:

Practise360 App: A geo-fenced tool intended to curb the misuse of medical pre-authorizations, ensuring that services are rendered appropriately and in the right location.

 National Product Catalogue: This system aims to block fake drugs from entering the supply chain, guaranteeing that only verified and safe medicines are used in hospitals.

 Health Information Exchange (HIE): This platform will enable the secure sharing of patient data across different facilities and counties, ensuring that healthcare providers have access to a patient’s complete medical history, regardless of where they seek care.

During the launch, Duale noted the successful implementation at KUTRRH, where 99% of walk-in patients are already enrolled in the Social Health Authority (SHA) and 29 biometric devices are active.

He also announced more plans, including the launch of a pharmaceutical Track-and-Trace system next month and enhanced digital oversight through the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) to weed out fraudulent facilities operating under the “Taifa Care” scheme.

The initiative aims to create a more robust and accessible health system, ultimately improving patient outcomes and building public trust.

The event was hosted by KUTRRH Board Chairperson Sen. Kembi Gitura and CEO Zainab Gura, and was attended by key officials from the Ministry of Health and its affiliated agencies.