Oral East Africa
As digitized system unleash the power of data-driven research and empowering our scientific community to accelerate medical advancements and address the most pressing healthcare challenges, data concerns are rising with it.
Medical data has become one of the most sought after information that allow medical companies and research institutions research for solutions and design targeted interventions.
As Kenya and East Africa is still catching up with the global shift from paper based medical records to digital systems the need to bring stakeholders to agree on a framework for regulation, investment and development has never been greater.
The Aga Khan University will host over 300 high level stakeholders in education, health, media and technology converge in for a two-day global conference on digital transformation to address some of these concerns.
“The Aga Khan University is at the forefront of digital innovations in East Africa. Creating platforms like the Digital Transformation Conference to delve into the diverse facets of digital innovation shaping the regions future both in the public and private sectors, by bringing together government dignitaries, industry leaders, policymakers, innovators and stakeholders to explore these areas can transform the healthcare sector,” said the Aga Khan University Chief Information Officer Shaukat Ali Khan.
The conference dubbed “Digital Transformation in East Africa” will explore the impact of digital technologies on health and education across private and public sectors such as the enacted Digital Health Act of Kenya.
Digitising patient records
Delegates will explore the diverse facets of digital innovations shaping the region and delve into crucial digital transformation topics including digital governance, generative AI in healthcare and education, cybersecurity, data privacy and climate and sustainability.
Aga Khan University Hospital is digitizing millions of patient records across its hospital and outreach clinic to the tune of Sh1.5 billion which is set to unlock research into common ailments in the country.
The hospital, in partnership with US medical IT firm Meditech will create one of the country’s most sought after health database that will offer anonymized data for faculty and researchers to understand and design interventions for better heath outcomes.
Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH,N) CEO Rashid Khalani, says the data will be domiciled in Nairobi and the hospital is in consultation with the office of the data protection commissioners to ensure they operate within the law.
