Counties across the country have continued to prioritize emergency medical services to their residents as part of the functions of the devolved units in the health sector.
Statistics from the Emergency Medical Kenya Foundation indicate that out of the 47 counties, 32 are in the process of formulating an emergency care policy as 29 per cent have already set up emergency dispatch centers in their hospitals to cater for any rising medical emergencies.
This comes as stakeholders from across Kenya’s emergency care sector have called for stronger coordination, training and financing to improve ambulance services and save lives.
According to the stakeholders, ambulance services in Kenya continue to face major challenges with gaps in governance and coordination, limited workforce capacity, inefficient dispatch systems, inconsistent quality assurance and funding constraints being the major hindrance though counties with dispatch centers revealed that their health sectors will always have a budget for that in every financial year.
“For us here in Taita Taveta, the county Assembly is very supportive because when we share with them the budget needed to cater the medical emergencies, they will even ask whether it is enough. Since partnering with EMKF, it has been easy for us because we are fully aware why it is important to have functioning ambulances and responding to emergencies within the shortest time possible,” the County executive Committee Member for Health Tana River County Kofa Joshua shared.
Speaking the stakeholders conference, Dr. Andrew Toro, Director of Curative and Nursing Services at the Ministry of Health, said emergency medical systems must go beyond simply increasing the number of ambulances.
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“Every day, thousands of Kenyans face life-threatening emergencies, from road traffic injuries to obstetric complications and acute medical conditions. Strengthening emergency medical services is not just about increasing the number of ambulances; it is about building systems that connect communities, ambulances, and hospitals to deliver timely, lifesaving care,” he said.
Toro said improving emergency care requires collaboration across multiple sectors.
“Strengthening emergency healthcare systems cannot be achieved by the government alone. It requires strong partnerships between national and county governments, healthcare professionals, training institutions, the private sector, and development partners. Platforms like this conference allow us to showcase innovations, share best practices, and build the partnerships necessary to save lives,” he added.
This is even as EMKF targets to have all devolved units prioritize emergency services for their residents and save lives.
Speaking on the growing percentage of counties with fully functional dispatch centres, the director for programs and governance relations at EMKF Emily Nyagaki shared that once all counties have policies in place, then the next steps would be as because there will be a legislature in place to guide them and with the partnership with EMKF have emergency response systems in place.
The conference further provided a platform for counties to share best practices and identify practical solutions that can strengthen public ambulance systems across the country.
During the conference EMFK launched the Ambulensi App and the Prehospital protocols which shall be adopted by Counties they have partnered with to get to casualties of medical emergencies reported.
