- “The Ministry of Health has not switched off the Afya Ke system,” Duale said.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has denied claims that the Ministry of Health interrupted the Afya Ke digital health system in Murang’a County.
This contradicts Governor Irungu Kang’ata’s allegations that the shutdown could disrupt healthcare services and put patient records at risk.
In a statement issued on Thursday, October 15, 2026, Duale said the ministry neither owns nor controls the system and does not have access to its source code.
“The Ministry of Health has not switched off the Afya Ke system,” Duale said.
The CS described the platform as a private arrangement between the County Government of Murang’a and its developers.
He also dismissed claims that the Digital Health Agency (DHA) had refused to certify the system, saying neither the developers nor the county government had applied for certification.
“The Digital Health Agency (DHA) has also not refused to certify the Afya Ke system. Neither the Afya Ke developers nor Murang’a County has applied for certification,” the statement read.
Duale urged Kang’ata to refrain from making statements he said could mislead the public and cause unnecessary concern among residents and healthcare stakeholders.
The ministry maintained that Social Health Authority (SHA) beneficiaries in Murang’a would continue accessing healthcare services without interruption through the established SHA systems.
However, Kang’ata said the system had been switched off despite earlier assurances from Duale that it would be integrated with the national health platform rather than discontinued.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, October 14, the governor warned that the shutdown could result in the loss of access to patient records and disrupt services in county health facilities.
“This is despite Afya. Ke being a free government system, and despite a promise that was made to me by the cabinet secretary in charge of health, Mr Duale, in my presence that Afya.Ke would be interconnected to SHA and not shut down,” Kang’ata said.
The governor said Afya.Ke platform had been used to manage electronic medical records and support healthcare delivery in the county since 2023.
The platform has supported the recording and retrieval of patient information, including medical histories, prescriptions and laboratory results, as well as telemedicine services that allow doctors to consult patients remotely.
According to the county government, the system had been operational in 165 health facilities.
Kang’ata also raised concerns about the financial implications of migrating to the national system, arguing that Afya Ke had been provided to the county free of charge.
The transition, he warned, could cause operational delays as health workers adapt to the replacement platform, while interruptions could affect the submission of claims to SHA.
The disagreement comes amid the government’s broader efforts to integrate digital health systems and standardise the exchange of medical information across the country.
Duale said the Ministry of Health remained committed to supporting all counties in advancing their digital health programmes.