President William Ruto will launch the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre on Wednesday, August 5, to coordinate emergency medical services nationwide. Ahead of the official commissioning, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale inspected the completed facility at the Social Health Authority (SHA) Headquarters on Tuesday, August 4, confirming its operational readiness.
“The facility is complete and fully prepared for commissioning, marking a major step in strengthening our emergency medical response under the Taifa Care programme,” Duale stated.
Operating via the SHA 922 Lifeline, the dispatch center will serve as Kenya’s central command hub for managing emergency medical services across all 47 counties.
“Operating under the SHA 922 Lifeline, the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre will serve as Kenya’s central command hub for coordinating emergency medical services across all 47 counties,” the CS added.
Duale explained that the single national platform will provide round-the-clock ambulance dispatch, intelligent call handling, clinical triage, real-time ambulance tracking, and direct health facility coordination to improve response times and critical care access.
“Through a single national platform, it will provide round-the-clock ambulance dispatch, intelligent call management, clinical triage, real-time ambulance tracking, and seamless coordination with health facilities, ensuring faster response times and improved access to life-saving emergency care,” he noted.
Over 200 ambulances accredited by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) are already connected to the platform, with more operators expected to join as coverage grows.
“More than 200 Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC)-accredited ambulances have already been integrated into the system, with additional providers expected to join as nationwide coverage expands,” Duale said.
A multidisciplinary team of 40 trained professionals, including medical officers, doctors, and customer service staff, will manage emergency dispatch operations and digital health systems.
“The Centre is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of 40 trained professionals, including medical officers, doctors, and customer service personnel, equipped with the skills required to manage emergency dispatch operations and digital health systems,” he explained.
Duale highlighted that the government created the facility through a public-private partnership with the Kenya Red Cross, ambulance service providers, and Safaricom.
“Developed in collaboration with the Kenya Red Cross, ambulance service providers, and Safaricom, the Centre reaffirms the Government’s commitment to harnessing technology and innovation to build a responsive and integrated emergency care system that guarantees every Kenyan timely access to critical medical services,” he concluded.
