Safaricom-led consortium was vetted before approval, says PS Kimtai

Medical Services Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]

Medical Services Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai has assured the public that the Safaricom-led consortium, awarded a Sh104 billion contract to provide technology for the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), underwent thorough vetting before being approved by the government.

The consortium, which includes Apeiro Limited and Konvergenz Network Solutions Ltd, will implement the Integrated Healthcare Information Technology System (IHITS), a key infrastructure for SHIF, which will replace the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

A section of Kenyans raised concerns about the ownership of Apeiro Ltd, one of the contracted firms.

Addressing the concerns, Kimtai, while appearing on NTV said; "Apeiro is a Dubai-based, publicly listed company. We reviewed their documents, submitted by Safaricom, and found everything to be in order. That's why the consortium was awarded the contract."

The PS also noted that the Ministry of Health had a history of collaboration with Safaricom.

"They've supported us in digitising the healthcare system. Safaricom, along with its partners, submitted proposals that were thoroughly evaluated and approved," he said.

Apeiro Ltd, a subsidiary of Sirius International Holding, specializes in digital health technology, while Konvergenz Network Solutions provides IT and communication solutions.

According to the agreement, the consortium will supply 70,000 tablets and 5,000 laptops to public health workers, ensure reliable internet connectivity with backup systems nationwide, and host a locally managed health cloud for patient data.

AI and machine learning tools will also be integrated to aid clinical decision-making.