Written by Alice Njoki
On June 10, 2026, the Government of Kenya launched a nationwide biometric registration exercise for children aged 7 to 17 years under the Social Health Authority (SHA). The programme aims to improve healthcare services for children and make it easier for hospitals to access important medical information.
Speaking during the launch, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the new system will help create secure digital health records for children. The records will be linked to their parents or guardians and can be accessed in SHA-approved health facilities across the country.
The government has distributed more than 8,000 biometric scanners to public health facilities to support the registration exercise. Children will be identified using biometric technology, helping reduce duplicate records and improving the accuracy of patient information.
According to health officials, the system will allow doctors and nurses to quickly access a child’s medical history, including treatment records and immunization information. This is expected to improve healthcare services and reduce delays when children visit hospitals.
Officials also explained that children below seven years are not included because their biometric features are still developing and current laws only allow biometric data collection for children aged seven and above.
The government says the registration is part of efforts to strengthen Kenya’s digital health system and ensure that children receive better and more efficient healthcare services. If biometric verification does not work, alternative methods such as one-time passwords linked to caregivers’ phone numbers will be used.
The new registration exercise is expected to help more children access healthcare while improving the management and security of health records nationwide.