NAIROBI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Kenyan court has suspended the implementation of a 1.6-billion-U.S.-dollar health agreement signed between the East African country and the United States amid concerns over medical data breach.
The five-year health cooperation framework, signed on Dec. 4, is expected to support the Kenyan government's push for universal health coverage. However, critics warn that the arrangement could risk medical data breaches, as Kenya's medical and epidemiological data might be transferred abroad.
Kenya's High Court Judge Bahati Mwamuye issued a conservatory order on Wednesday, restraining the government and its agents from the "transfer, sharing, or dissemination of medical, epidemiological, or sensitive personal health data."
"A conservatory order is hereby issued suspending, staying and/or restraining the respondents, whether by themselves, their agents or assigns, from implementing, operationalizing, or otherwise giving effect to the Health Cooperation Framework executed between the Government of Kenya and the Government of the U.S. on or about Dec. 4, 2025, insofar as it provides for or facilitates the transfer, sharing, or dissemination of medical, epidemiological, or sensitive personal health data," Mwamuye said in the order.
The order came after the Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) challenged the deal for lack of public participation and alleged risk of medical data breach.
In its petition, COFEK said that courts or Kenyan regulators would have no power to recall, restrict, or oversee the foreign use of such data once it is shared as per the deal signed between the two countries.
"This exposes citizens to lasting privacy violations, stigma, and potential misuse of their information. The irreversible nature of the harm elevates the urgency of the matter," the lobby group noted. ■