Murang’a County Government Rolls Out Starlink Internet Upgrade for 170 Health Facilities
The upgrade will be implemented on Thursday, 28 May 2026, and will be delivered through Starlink, a U.S. satellite internet provider, via its local authorised agent Paratus.
Murang’a County Government has announced a major upgrade of internet connectivity across 170 public medical facilities, transitioning them from WiFi-based services to satellite internet connectivity. The upgrade will be implemented on Thursday, 28 May 2026, and will be delivered through Starlink, a U.S. satellite internet provider, via its local authorised agent Paratus.
The launch event is scheduled to take place at the Telemedicine Hub, Muriranja’s Hospital in Kahuro, Kiharu Constituency, starting at 11:00 AM. The initiative marks a significant step in strengthening digital health infrastructure across the county, with the aim of improving service delivery in remote and underserved areas.
According to the county, the shift to satellite internet is expected to reduce connectivity costs by up to 70 percent compared to the previous WiFi setup. It will also extend reliable internet coverage to health facilities that previously experienced weak or unavailable terrestrial connectivity, ensuring continuous access to essential online services.
The upgraded system is expected to enhance healthcare delivery through faster and more stable connections, enabling real-time telemedicine consultations, quicker access to patient records across facilities, and faster transmission of laboratory results. The county also noted that satellite connectivity will improve resilience, as it is less affected by fibre cuts, power outages, and other infrastructure disruptions that often impact service continuity.
Murang’a County further highlighted that the project complements its ongoing medical facilities solarisation programme aimed at ensuring reliable power supply. Of the 170 facilities, 140 are expected to be solarised by 30 June 2026, while the remaining 30 will be completed by 30 June 2027.
In addition, the upgraded network will expand digital access to nearby public institutions such as schools and churches within a 14-kilometre radius of the connected health facilities. The county said this will broaden the impact of the project beyond healthcare, supporting wider community access to digital services.
