Duale dismisses claims Health Ministry switched off Murang’a’s AfyaKE system

The Ministry of Health has denied allegations that it shut down Murang'a County's AfyaKE digital health system, stating the platform is privately managed and unverified for official certification. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale emphasized on Thursday that the Ministry neither owns nor controls the system, nor has access to its source code.

Duale clarified that the platform is a private arrangement between Murang'a County Government and its developers, distancing the national government from the claims of system shutdown. "The Ministry of Health hasn't shut down the AfyaKE system," Duale affirmed, asserting that the Ministry doesn't own, control, or manage the system, nor does it hold the source code.

Duale also dismissed allegations that the Digital Health Agency (DHA) had refused certification for AfyaKE, noting that neither the county government nor developers had applied for certification. The clarification comes after Murang'a Governor Irungu Kangata alleged the Ministry disabled the system, sparking questions about the platform's status and digital health services in the county.

The Ministry asked Governor Kangata to refrain from misleading statements, warning that such claims could cause unnecessary concern among residents and healthcare stakeholders. Duale assured residents that Social Health Authority (SHA) beneficiaries would continue accessing healthcare services without interruption through existing SHA systems.

"The Ministry remains committed to ensuring the continuity of healthcare services and supporting the effective implementation of digital health systems across all counties," Duale pledged.