The Media Council of Kenya is partnering with St John Ambulance to ensure that journalists are well prepared in saving lives, not just reporting on emergencies.
MCK’s Manager for Government Relations and Stakeholder Engagement, Paul Oyier, said during a meeting held on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, that it was time to rethink the media’s role during accidents and emergencies.
Oyier said although journalists are normally among the first persons to arrive at scenes of crashes, most lack the skill needed to provide basic assistance before ambulances or medics arrive.
“Road safety is a national priority, and the media plays a critical role in informing the public. Equipping journalists with first aid and emergency response skills ensures timely and accurate information reaches communities,” said Oyier.
He invited St John Ambulance to take advantage of the wide networks that MCK has to conduct journalists’ training across the country, adding that in future they plan to engage the Kenya National Highways Authority on matters of integrated emergency preparedness as the country’s road network grows.
Representatives from St John Ambulance shared the organization’s ongoing efforts to help improve emergency care throughout the nation. It operates a 24-hour ambulance service, two trauma centers and 14 first-aid posts, and supports over 1,500 injured people annually-many through volunteer responders.
They also cited the increasing urgency over road safety, where more than 4,700 lives were lost and 16,000 were injured in road crashes in 2024 alone.
“At St John Ambulance, we are committed to saving lives and building community resilience. Partnering with the media ensures lifesaving information reaches the public quickly and effectively,” the representative added.
Both organizations agreed to formalize the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding and pledged to continue working in collaboration.
The partnership will see MCK and St John Ambulance roll out first aid training programs, conduct joint drills, and mount public awareness campaigns to increase emergency reporting and reduce road fatalities.
Other aspects of the agreement entail training modules for journalists, the issuance of story grants with a safety focus, the involvement of media in AJEA, and a charity walk in May 2026 to raise awareness on road safety.
