Data Privacy Fears Quashed: PS Oluga Clarifies No Personal Records Shared in Ruto-Trump Health Pact.
Health Principal Secretary Dr. Ouma Oluga firmly dismissed public anxieties on December 8, 2025, assuring Kenyans that no personal medical records will be shared with the US under the recent Ruto-Trump health deal, emphasizing only aggregated, anonymized data for partnership monitoring .
Oluga highlighted strict safeguards requiring formal requests, dual approvals from the Digital Health Agency and data controllers, and usage limited to specified purposes with full accountability trails .
“Your personal medical records will not be shared with the US,” Oluga said, clarifying that Kenya will share only aggregated data for monitoring the partnership.
Additionally, the Health PS said that even if it is to be shared, strict rules and safeguards must be followed before any health data is shared.
Dr. Oluga added that even after approval, Kenya will only provide the specific information requested, and it must be used strictly for the stated purpose.
“So, for any data sharing to happen, the first requirement is a formal request specifying what information is needed. Second, there must be a clear mechanism for how that information is provided. In our system, we have included safeguards requiring approval from both the Digital Health Agency and the data controller before any data is released,” Oluga stated.
He stressed that safeguards have been built into the system to ensure full accountability, including documentation of every request and clear feedback on how the data is used.
This update addresses backlash from activists like Nelson Amenya and Munahamed, who accused the government of selling health data and violating Article 31 privacy rights.
On December 4, 2025, during Kenyan President William Ruto’s visit to Washington, D.C., at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump, Kenya signed a five-year health cooperation framework with the United States.
The Ksh 208 Billion Deal BreakdownSigned on December 4, 2025, in Washington D.C. during President William Ruto’s visit hosted by US President Donald Trump, the five-year framework marks Trump’s first “America First” global health initiative, valued at $2.5 billion (Ksh 208 billion).
The US commits $1.7 billion while Kenya adds $850 million, transitioning funding directly to state bodies like the Social Health Authority (SHA), Digital Health Agency, and KEMSA, with goals for Kenya to fully fund by 2030.
Oversight came from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Kenya’s CS Musalia Mudavadi, aiming to bolster HIV, TB, and vaccine programs previously NGO-managed.
Safeguards and Government Control
Oluga stressed Kenya’s consolidated health information system now fully government-run after absorbing third-party platforms like tb.dot.go.ke and vaccine trackers ensures data sovereignty with no unauthorized access.
To allay data fears among Kenyans, the PS further stated that the Kenyan government runs a comprehensive, integrated health information system, which was initially in the hands of third parties and is now fully controlled by the government.
“It’s only the Kenyan government that runs the comprehensive integrated health information system. We took over all those systems; there were several of them. There was a system for TB called tb.dot.go.ke. There was a system for vaccines. All of those have now been consolidated, and we have taken them out of the hands of third parties.
Right now, we can confirm to the entire country and to each citizen that your data is in the hands of the government alone,” Oluga said.
Any sharing demands documented requests, reviewed approvals, and purpose bound use, aligning with national data privacy laws to protect individual details like HIV status or vaccination records .
Critics had warned of sovereignty erosion and lopsided terms, but Oluga’s clarifications reinforce compliance and transparency.
Public Reactions and Broader Stakes
Kenyans flooded social media with concerns post-signing, fearing real-time access to sensitive info amid Trump’s reelection and aid shifts, but Oluga’s assurances aim to rebuild trust .
The deal promises resilient health systems and life-saving investments, yet experts urge public scrutiny of full terms, expected soon per related reports.
As Kenya navigates US partnerships under Trump, this episode underscores balancing foreign aid with data protection in an era of digital health integration.