The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has extended the deadline for ambulance owners and operators to register and obtain licences under the national Ambulance Evacuation Services programme.
The council said providers will now have until October 30, 2026, to complete the registration and licensing process without paying any charges.
In a notice issued on Thursday, September 17, KMPDC said the extension was meant to give more ambulance providers time to join the new emergency response system.
“Following the successful launch of Ambulance Evacuation Services, the Council is pleased to announce that the deadline for free registration and licensure has been extended to 30th October 2026,” the council said.
Ambulance owners and operators have been encouraged to use the extended period to submit their applications before the deadline.
Registration through KMPDC portal
Providers seeking registration are required to submit their details through the KMPDC Emergency Medical Services portal.
The council warned that those who fail to register during the grace period will have to pay the required charges after October 30.
“After 30th October 2026, requisite charges for application, inspection, registration, and licensing will apply as stipulated under the applicable regulations,” KMPDC said.
The registration exercise is part of efforts to bring ambulance services under a coordinated national emergency medical response system.
The national ambulance system was launched in August by President William Ruto alongside the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre and the Social Health Authority (SHA) 922 emergency lifeline.
The system is intended to coordinate ambulance deployment and patient referrals across all 47 counties.
More than 200 KMPDC-accredited ambulances had already been onboarded by the time the national system was launched, with additional public and private ambulance providers expected to join.
Emergency care covered
Under the new arrangement, ambulance evacuation and the first 24 hours of emergency treatment will be covered through the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund.
The government has said the cover will apply to patients regardless of whether they are registered with SHA or have paid their SHA contributions.
“Ambulance evacuation and the first 24 hours of emergency treatment will be paid for by the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund at approved tariffs,” President Ruto said after the launch.
The extension gives ambulance operators more time to complete the requirements before charges for inspection, registration and licensing come into effect.