By Eddah Waithaka
Gertrude’s Hospital Foundation and the M-PESA Foundation will expand their Daktari Smart telemedicine programme to reach more than 50,000 children with specialised paediatric healthcare and train 800 healthcare workers and 1,150 community health promoters across 10 underserved counties by August 2027.
The programme enters its second phase anchored on the theme “Daktari Smart: Beyond Technology,” which highlights the people, systems and partnerships needed to translate telemedicine into sustained access to specialist care.
Daktari Smart has already reached more than 27,000 children since its launch four years ago across Samburu, Homa Bay, Baringo, Narok and Lamu counties. The programme recorded over 8,000 telemedicine sessions in 2026 alone.
Partners and county stakeholders assessed the programme’s implementation, utilisation, sustainability and integration into the local health system during a review meeting in Lamu County held from 23–24 September 2026.
Investing in People, Not Just Technology
Dr Carol Waweru, Head of Impact Programmes at Gertrude’s Hospital Foundation, said the programme’s value extends far beyond the screen.
“The value of Daktari Smart goes beyond technology and into putting specialist knowledge within reach of children and families who may otherwise face long journeys, delays and additional costs to access care,” she said. “As we move into the next phase, our focus is on strengthening the systems around telemedicine so that this access can be sustained.”
Gertrude’s Hospital Foundation has sponsored two nurses to undertake specialised Paediatric Nurse Training — one based at Mpeketoni Sub-County Hospital and one at Lamu County Referral Hospital (King Fahad Hospital). The foundation has trained 205 nurses across the country to date and now plans to introduce specialised paediatric oncology nursing.
From Consultation to Treatment
Dr Robert Nyarango, Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital Chief Executive Officer and Gertrude’s Hospital Foundation Trustee, said Daktari Smart strengthens referral networks so children receive the right care at the right time.
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“Through Daktari Smart, children in underserved areas can access specialised paediatric expertise from our main hospital in Muthaiga in real time,” he said. “The programme will strengthen existing referral networks, helping healthcare providers identify when a child needs specialised care and enabling more children to receive it without unnecessary delays.”
The programme has moved beyond remote consultations into definitive treatment. Patients identified through Daktari Smart have received free medical care from Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital for cases including cleft lip and palate, heart surgery and management of conditions such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). The pathway runs from level 3 and 4 health facilities through specialist diagnosis to treatment.
Expansion Across Kenya
Daktari Smart now operates across six sites, with five more under construction ahead of planned service inception from October 2026. Phase II will expand to Turkana, Kwale, Vihiga, Laikipia and Makueni counties.
The programme is also deepening its footprint in Lamu County, where it is training healthcare workers and community health promoters at facilities including Hindi Health Centre, Siyu Dispensary, Witu Sub-County Hospital and Mpeketoni Sub-County Hospital.
Partnership at the Core
Joseph Ogutu, Trustee at Safaricom Foundation, said the partnership has demonstrated technology’s power to break down barriers to specialist healthcare.
“As we move into the next phase, our focus is on building on what we have learned, strengthening frontline health workers and referral pathways, and working with counties to ensure telemedicine becomes a sustainable part of healthcare delivery,” he said.
Celestine Munda, Trustee at M-PESA Foundation, said the programme ultimately aims to make quality specialist care accessible regardless of geography.
“By combining technology with stronger health systems and skilled healthcare workers, we can bring specialist expertise closer to the communities that need it most,” she said.
How It Works
Daktari Smart connects children in underserved communities with specialists at Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital through real-time consultations. The platform combines clinical support with an electronic stethoscope, vital signs monitor, high-resolution camera, ultrasound, otoscope and ECG, enabling local health workers to access specialist care without requiring families to travel long distances.
Data generated through the programme has provided insights into health-seeking behaviour, patient experience, waiting times and transport-related barriers. Partners are using these findings to identify gaps in service delivery and inform the integration of telemedicine into county health systems.
Since launching in 2021, the M-PESA Foundation and Gertrude’s Hospital Foundation have jointly invested in telemedicine technology and infrastructure, pairing it with specialist paediatric expertise and health system strengthening to improve access to care for children in underserved communities.
