24/04/2026
Strengthening inclusive digital health through strategic partnerships.
Kisumu County yesterday hosted the Ambassador of Norway and a high-level delegation from UNICEF to showcase the NIKO programme, an integrated digital identification and assisted registration initiative addressing long-standing gaps in disability data and access to essential services.
The visit commenced with a courtesy call at the Office of H.E. the Governor, reaffirming the strong and growing partnership between Kisumu County and Norway in advancing people-centred digital health.
Later, H.E. the Deputy Governor, alongside County health leadership, led the delegation to Nyalenda, where they visited beneficiary households to witness firsthand the programme’s impact at community level.
The NIKO programme combines digital innovation with community outreach—leveraging digital registration systems (linked to eCitizen), while enabling parents and teachers to input data directly. Through coordinated outreach service delivery events, children are assessed and linked to essential services including school placement, assistive devices, therapy, and healthcare.
The programme is supporting early identification and registration of children with disabilities, many of whom remain invisible within existing systems while strengthening linkage to care, education, and social protection. By improving data, simplifying registration, and addressing long-standing barriers such as fragmentation and stigma, it is ensuring that no child is left behind, including during emergencies.
Since its implementation, the programme has reached 1,395 children, with 822 successfully registered in government systems, and hundreds supported with assistive devices, therapy, and school placement—demonstrating measurable impact at both system and household level.
This engagement underscores Kisumu’s commitment to building a responsive, inclusive, and digitally enabled health system, and highlights the critical role of partnerships in driving scalable, real-world impact.
The County Government of Kisumu will continue to strengthen and scale such innovations to ensure equitable access to health services for all.