Vihiga: The government is set to roll out a National Emergency Ambulance Dispatch Service under the Social Health Authority (SHA) to strengthen emergency response across the country. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, speaking in Vihiga during county assessment tours, said the service will enable patients to be evacuated promptly, with payments determined by distance covered.

According to Kenya News Agency, the Social Health Authority (SHA) will cover the cost of ambulance services in addition to all the medical expenses incurred at the hospital in the first 24 hours. Under the package, ambulance charges will be standardized at Sh4,500 for the first 25 kilometers and Sh75 for every additional kilometer.

The SHA system is designed to be powerful and efficient, positioning Kenya as a model for other African countries. Duale emphasized that the centralized dispatch system will address gaps caused by fragmented emergency responses, aimed at improving tracking and guaranteed availability of ambulances, even in remote areas.

The service will be integrated into the government’s Taifa Care model as part of efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). SHA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mercy Mwangangi stated that the initiative will be anchored on digital tools to ensure timely response and efficiency, adding that Kenyans will access the service by dialing 999.

Meanwhile, training of emergency response staff and deployment of digital infrastructure across the country is already underway.