Telemedicine Services See Increased Adoption

Telemedicine is rapidly gaining ground in Kenya as the Ministry of Health accelerates its digital transformation agenda. The government has committed KSh 600 million through the Communication Authority to support telemedicine deployment in 20 health facilities, with a particular focus on remote and underserved regions. This rollout aligns with broader plans to use a national Digital Health Platform to integrate virtual care, improving access and clinical efficiency across counties.
County governments are also embracing telehealth: in Murang’a County, every ward has been equipped with computers to facilitate remote consultations with higher-level hospitals.According to Governor Irungu Kang’ata, this setup has allowed 20,000 patients to access specialist care without travelling long distances, dramatically reducing travel costs and improving continuity of care.
On the provider side, research shows telemedicine’s use is expanding beyond pandemic-era consultations. A study of Kenyan doctors found that 50% of surveyed physicians now use telemedicine in a hybrid model—mixing virtual consultations with in-person care. The most common telemedicine interactions are peer-to-peer consultations, though direct patient care via telehealth is increasing as infrastructure improves.
Moreover, telemedicine is proving particularly effective for maternal and child health in rural Kenya. Providers in remote villages can connect patients to specialists via digital networks, enabling prenatal check-ins, remote diagnosis, and virtual follow-ups. Observers say this model is helping close long-standing rural health access gaps — especially in areas where there are few doctors and long travel times to hospitals.