Lodwar – March 19, 2026 (Public Communication and Media Relations)

The Department of Health and Sanitation in partnership with Drop Access Limited (DAL), has concluded a training building the capacity of healthcare workers on Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring systems
This session was aimed at equipping participants with practical skills on the use of IoT technologies for real-time monitoring of health commodities and systems.

The training brought together healthcare workforce from selected health facilities. This will ensure enhanced efficiency, accountability, and service delivery in facilities countywide.

In his opening remarks, the County Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) Coordinator, David Erus, highlighted the significance of the initiative in addressing persistent challenges in cold-chain management across the county.

“We as a county have had cold-chain equipment challenges, and this presents an opportunity to benefit from Drop Access’ manufactured Vacciboxes and the incorporated monitoring systems,” he said.

Erus noted that out of about 240 health facilities in the county, only 40 had been selected to benefit from the intervention, making the training a critical opportunity for capacity strengthening.

“You are among the selected facilities to benefit and be trained on this system. We are here to get sensitized on the usage and maintenance of the vacciboxes,” he added.

He further emphasized the importance of integrating technology into routine health systems, noting that the IoT-enabled solutions will support data tracking and reporting, including integration with national systems such as Taifa Care.

“The system will help in tracking our activities at the facility level, including temperature monitoring, which is currently a key focus under the National Vaccine and Immunization Program,” he stated.

John Etir, Assistant Project Manager at DAL, highlighted the progress of the project being implemented in Turkana County.

“For over a year, we have been implementing a project supported by GSMA here in Turkana County, targeting 40 county government health facilities,” he said.

He explained that 20 facilities had been equipped with portable solar-powered fridges used for storage and transportation of vaccines and other medical supplies, while the other 20 supported with IoT-enabled monitoring systems.

“These fridges are IoT-enabled and can relay information remotely on temperature status, door status, and malfunction alerts. They are also fitted with GPS tracking systems for location monitoring,” he added.