Kenya’s new National Ambulance Response System will officially launch on December 1, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced. The system is part of the government’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) plan and aims to make emergency services faster, more reliable, and accessible to all Kenyans.
Speaking before the National Assembly Health Committee, CS Duale said the ministry is finalizing the inspection and standardization of ambulances across all 47 counties. This will ensure every ambulance is properly equipped and staffed for emergency response, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
The new system will operate under a National Ambulance Dispatch Centre (NADC), which will coordinate all emergency calls and ambulance movements through a central command system. This setup will link public, private, county, and faith-based ambulances, reducing duplication and delays that often cost lives.
Kenyans will be able to request help using a toll-free number, which will connect directly to the dispatch centre. The system will also be linked to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) to cover emergency costs and prevent families from paying out of pocket.
The Health Ministry is also training emergency response teams and developing standard operating procedures for trauma care, referrals, and patient handovers.
Meanwhile, the Social Health Authority (SHA) announced plans to increase the cancer treatment cover from Sh550,000 to Sh1 million over the next three years. CEO Dr. Mercy Mwangangi said the review aims to ease the financial pressure on patients as treatment costs continue to rise.
The SHA is also improving its fraud detection systems and investigating several cases of false billing within the health insurance program.
CS Duale assured MPs that the rollout marks a major step toward strengthening Kenya’s emergency health system and ensuring that no life is lost due to delays in response or lack of access to care.
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