Kenyans who signed up for WorldCoin have been advised to contact a hospital if they experience any unusual symptoms as the government intensifies its inquiry into the contentious tech company.
According to preliminary findings, the scanners exposed Kenyans to health concerns, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha said in a statement to lawmakers looking into WorldCoin.
She mentioned that some people would already be noticing the changes and said the government would be paying close attention to the wellbeing of individuals who had registered.
She did, however, note that additional studies would be made public in the future and that they had yet to determine the precise health issues.
According to government records, over 350,000 Kenyans had registered for the digital currency by the time the registration was stopped on August 2.
“As indicated by Hon Shakeel Shabir, there may be Kenyans out there already experiencing different complications or changes in their bodies after underdoing the scan.
She said, “We would like to advise them to report to the closest medical facility to receive a thorough evaluation.
She continued by saying that people who were still in good health needed to keep an eye on their situation because future health issues could yet arise.
The CS further stated that the government had created the Digital Health Bill to address comparable health risks provided by WorldCoin and other online marketplaces.
While testifying before a committee established to look into the WorldCoin registration fiasco, Nakhumicha made the revelations.
Other prominent government figures joined Nakhumicha in appearing before the committee to give an explanation for why the administration did not halt the registration of Kenyans on time.
Ezra Chiloba, director general of the Communications Authority of Kenya, affirmed that WorldCoin was not registered in the nation and added that it was illegal to enroll Kenyans.
“According to our criteria as the CAK, the orb (the scanning device) utilized by Worldcoin has the capacity to transmit data outside, making it a communication device; however, the CAK has not issued any authorization for the gadget to be used in Kenya. We have no idea how they managed to get any permissions to use these devices here, he said.
