Africa-Press – Kenya. Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr Ouma Oluga has assured Kenyans that their personal medical records will not be shared with the United States under the newly signed Kenya–US health cooperation framework.
Speaking during an interview with NTV, Oluga moved to calm widespread fears following public debate on the scope of data that the government may exchange with its American partners.
“We can confirm to the entire country and each citizen that your data is in the hands of the government alone,” the PS said.
He emphasised that the agreement does not grant the US unrestricted access to individual medical information.
He clarified that any data involved will strictly support the implementation of the cooperation framework and will be handled within Kenya’s existing legal structures.
Oluga explained that for any information to be shared, there must first be a formal request specifying the purpose, followed by a clear process of approval and documentation.
“We will have to get approval from the Digital Health Agency and the Data Controller, and it has to be used for what it was requested for,” he said.
He added that each instance of data access will be monitored and accompanied by feedback on how the information was used.
“For every data provided, there will have to be a request. They will also have to give us feedback on what they did with it.”
The PS stressed that only the Kenyan government operates the country’s comprehensive integrated health information system, and therefore retains full custody and oversight of all medical data.
He also noted that under the previous arrangement, the US did not need to sign a data-sharing agreement, making the current framework more structured and protective of individual privacy.
Concerns arose after a clause in the Kenya–US cooperation framework indicated that the two governments would negotiate a separate data-sharing agreement to support implementation.
The five-year agreement, signed Thursday in Washington, will see the US invest Sh208 billion to bolster Kenya’s priority health programmes and reinforce the long-term sustainability of national health systems.
However, critics argued that the wording left room for potential misuse of sensitive personal information.
Oluga reassured the public that the framework adheres strictly to Kenya’s constitutional right to privacy, the Health Act of 2017, and the Data Protection Act of 2019.
He clarified that only aggregated data—information that cannot identify individual patients—may be shared with the US to help monitor programme performance and implementation.
The PS also dismissed documents circulating on social media purporting to be the signed agreement, calling them “strange” and “alien.”
He further announced that the official Kenya–US health deal will be made public soon to ensure full transparency.
