About us

Digital Health Applied Research Center (DHARC) is an established center under the College of Health sciences, suited in Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) which is a Public university that is situated in Juja, 36 kilometers northeast of Nairobi, along the Nairobi-Thika Super-Highway, off Exit 15. It offers courses in Technology, Engineering, Science, Commerce, Management and Building sciences. The university has a strong research interest in the areas of Biotechnology and Engineering. It’s ranked the most preferred University in Kenya for three years in a row,

The DHARC center was sponsored by USAID. This took place through DHARC’s first project HIGDA project; project that focused on Health Informatics Governance and Data Analytics.

As a leader in our industry, we have always worked to develop advanced technology and innovative methods. The interoperability DHARC center, provides operators and developers of eHealth systems as well as processes with a powerful state-of-the-art infrastructure for testing the quality, interoperability, networking, security, scalability and optimization of electronic health systems even the before first practical use and launch onto the market with-in the healthcare sector.

DHARC Development 

DHARC is an open-source software development environment for; 

1. Project Scheduling and Management 

For invited HIS expert to share industry experience and collaborate with the students by leverage on DHARC specialized ICT assets and students’ innovation. 

2. Training 

With customized content for mentorship for in person and online training regarding digital health technologies, standards all designed for speed and high-impact learning. 

3. Teaming 

We invite HIS expert to share industry experience and collaborate with the students by leverage on DHARC specialized ICT assets lab and students’ innovation. 

4. Tooling 

We develop and support open-source software components and platforms that help 3rd party software solutions to be implemented based on standards of eHealth interoperability profiles. 

5. Consulting 

Work with industry players in various sectors within the health domain. 

Vision 

To excel in the training of Health Records & Information Management professionals for the country’s development needs. 

Mission statement 

To produce leaders in training, research and innovation in the field of health records and information management to support the JKUAT vision and mission to suit the needs of a dynamic health sector. 

Functionality 

DHARC is slated to play a crucial role in providing the evidence necessary for operationalizing Kenya’s national HIS blueprint, while supporting wide-scale implementation of interoperable solutions based on its policies and protocols. 

Objective 

The principle objective of the centre is to create an environment for sharing knowledge and experiences around innovative digital health tools for interoperability.  

The objectives of the Courses in HRIM Programme are to prepare graduates, by means of theoretical, practical, and clinical instruction applied in health information management to; 

1. Develop the ability to respond to the changing informational needs of the patient, the providers of health care, researchers and educators. 

2. Acquire awareness of the technologies and equipment affecting information storage and retrieval and to develop the ability to utilize these resources appropriately. 

3. Demonstrate an understanding of the history and evolution of health records and information management with particular emphasis on current and future developments in the profession. 

4. Acquire an understanding of the current scope and responsibilities of health records and information management and its relationship to other professions. 

5. To equip graduates with knowledge and skills necessary for effective research in health information management. 

6. To mainstream GIS and data visualization in health records and information management for better policy and decision making 

Goal 

Improve the national and county level health sector’s organizational and management capacity in health informatics, health governance, health data analytics and visualization, monitoring & evaluation an of health systems and finally learning. 

Core values 

Quality, teamwork, professionalism, innovation, dynamism, accountability and integrity. 

Target 

DHARC targets direct entry applicants or any other equivalent qualifications recognized by University Senate in relation to health. 

Philosophy 

The program is anchored on the philosophy of enhancing access to quality, well-trained health professionals for improved service delivery in the health sector. 

DHARC Security and Privacy controls 

DHARC has established physical, logical, and administrative controls that protect data from unauthorized disclosure, access, and use, as per the standard operating procedures and in adherence to the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2013. 
The has a selective data governance committee whose roles and responsibility are to provide stewardship in data privacy and security. 

The center has set principles that govern the following areas; 

1. Use Case Approach 

Principle of a use case approach is suggested as DHARC’s business model for engaging the eHealth stakeholders, so as to address the challenge of complexity of eHealth related requirements. 

2. Preservation of Information 

The principle of preservation of information in the context of the eHealth domain calls for preservation of medical records and medical information held in an electronic format. 

Reusability 

 We shall therefore promote the sharing of health solutions, concepts, frameworks, and specifications with interested parties. Such will be clearly documented on a case by case within the intellectual property agreement -IPA. 

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