Lodwar- October 20, 2025 (Public Communications and Media Relations)

Turkana County has intensified efforts to digitize healthcare service delivery with the successful training of over 80 County and Sub-County Health Management Team (CHMT/SCHMT) members on the Taifa Care system. This follows the recent launch of 450 tablets and 450 power banks set to be distributed to health facilities to support the digitization agenda.

As the 25th county to roll out the national Taifa Care program, Turkana joins the rest of the country in adopting Kenya’s digital health platform, a key pillar in advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) under the Social Health Authority (SHA).

As part of the countywide implementation, these healthcare workers have undergone targeted capacity-building sessions to ensure a smooth transition to the new system. The training focused on equipping clinical staff, records officers, nursing officers, ICT officers, and administrative personnel with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively use Taifa Care in their daily operations.

The trainings, spearheaded by the Department of Health and Sanitation, were conducted in partnership with the Digital Health Agency (DHA) and Amref Health Africa, and aim to ensure the health workforce is equipped to transition from paper-based processes to a fully digital ecosystem for patient care and facility operations.

“We are in Turkana to strengthen digital transformation through Taifa Care, ensuring that services are brought closer to the people while reducing healthcare costs and improving efficiency,” said Samuel Cheburet, a representative from the Digital Health Agency.

He emphasized that the training is part of a larger strategy to ensure healthcare workers embrace digital tools, enabling portability of patient records and reducing inefficiencies through a unified platform.

“We are providing both the digital system and the hardware, including tablets and power banks to support uninterrupted and inclusive digitization in Turkana,” he added.

The training targeted health management teams from the county headquarters and all 11 sub-counties. The initial team included officers in pharmacy, laboratory, clinical services, nursing, health information, and ICT from the county and sub-county. A cohort of about 15 senior county health management officers received training later, with plans in place to cascade the knowledge to the larger sub-county teams and frontline health workers this week.

“We are training our teams on Taifa Care, particularly on the TIBERBU Health Management Information System (HMIS) —a tool that will standardize how patient data is collected, reported, and used to inform healthcare decision-making,” explained Peter Etee, Assistant Director, Health Records and Information Management Services.

The transition to the digital system is expected to address historical challenges in data management, reduce absenteeism, and enhance real-time monitoring of patient flow and workload in facilities.

“With this system, we can know who is attending to patients, where, and in real time. This enhances accountability and supports resource allocation,” added Etee.

According to Gabriel Ejikon, Primary Healthcare Technical Officer at Amref Health Africa, data-driven healthcare is central to improving outcomes.

“At Amref, we value data. For us to drive meaningful change, we must strengthen data systems and support the healthcare workforce with the right tools. This rollout is a big step towards full digitization,” he said.

Health workers welcomed the training, noting the benefits the system would bring to service delivery, patient record management, and supply chain tracking.

“We’ve had challenges with data reporting and timeliness. This system will allow easy access to patient records, accurate reports, and improve tracking of defaulters and audits,” said Hellen Ekwom, Reports and Information Officer, Kibish Sub-County.

“Taifa Care will also help redistribute commodities before we stock out, and ensure we’re only using one device with all systems installed,” said Winnie Nagel, Lab Services Coordinator, Turkana East. “For the end users, this will reduce the turnaround time for the patients who visit our facilities,”

Despite the region’s unique challenges, such as unreliable power and internet, the inclusion of power banks and mobile connectivity will ensure consistent access to the system, especially in remote areas.

“We’ve not fully embraced technology at the grassroots, but this is the best thing we’ve received as a sub-county. It will save time, reduce paperwork, and improve patient service,” Ekwom added.

From a public health perspective, the system also enhances emergency preparedness.

“Early warning scores can now be picked in real time, helping providers prioritize patients who need urgent care,” explained Paul Ewolan, Sub-County Public Health Nurse, Turkana West.

Moving forward, facility-level representatives—the frontline implementers—will be trained to capture patient data digitally, generate live reports, and access information on drug availability, lab results, and medical histories instantly.

The Department of Health and Sanitation reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and sustainability of the Taifa Care system across all health facilities in Turkana.