The Kenyans will be in a position to call for an ambulance at no cost from now onwards, thanks to a new move by the Social Health Authority (SHA).
SHA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mercy Mwangangi revealed that President William Ruto will launch the service by the end of September.
A free-to-call phone number will also be included through which Kenyans will be able to call for help regardless of their location.
“Costs of ambulance are usually Ksh4,500, but SHA will now pay the full amount,” said Dr. Mwangangi. “The service will pick patients from any place and pay for the first 24 hours of hospitalisation.”
She said the move is in keeping with the government push towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC), so that emergencies do not put families in financial crises due to surprise bills.
But the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has ordered all emergency care personnel and ambulance providers to register with the council.
The directive, issued on Monday by CEO David Kariuki, is meant to improve supervision and maintain services at professional levels.
“Every paramedic, emergency technician, and ambulance provider must register now,” Kariuki said, adding that application details are available on the council’s website.
With the two projects running side by side, Kenyans are going to benefit from quicker, more reliable, and more secure emergency care.
This will be a game changer in health care plan