On Thursday, July 16, the Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale conducted a tour of SHA's National Ambulance Dispatch Centre ahead of its launch.
Duale was accompanied by Social Health Authority CEO, Dr Mercy Mwangangi, Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr Ouma Oluga and Digital Health Agency Chief Executive Officer Dr Anthony Lenaiyara as they inspected the facility located at the SHA Headquarters.
He confirmed that the Centre was 90 percent complete and that once operational, it would enhance response times, improve coordination of emergency services and connect patients to the nearest appropriate health facilities.
"Now over 90% complete, the Centre marks a significant step in strengthening our emergency medical services under the Taifa Care Model and the Government's Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.
"It is equipped with advanced digital systems that support emergency call triage, ambulance dispatch, real-time incident management and seamless coordination with health facilities through the National Health Information Exchange," Duale confirmed.
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The CS added that so far 97 KMPDC-accredited ambulances have been empanelled to the system, with 186 already registered and more expected to join as coverage expands nationwide.
He further confirmed that a team of 40 dispatch personnel, including medical officers, doctors and customer care agents, has also undergone specialised training to ensure efficient, professional and patient-centred emergency response.
According to the Authority, the facility will operate as a 24-hour national ambulance command centre, which will coordinate rapid emergency medical response and ambulance dispatch across the country.
"Designed to complement county emergency response systems, the centre is expected to significantly reduce response times, strengthen coordination between national and county governments, and expand equitable access to lifesaving emergency evacuation services for all Kenyans," the statement read in part.
CS Duale and the delegation from the Ministry of Health were given a brief demonstration of how the command centre, dubbed 'SHA 112 Lifeline', worked.
The Health Boss was also treated to a mock ambulance scenario, where medics demonstrated the medical attention Kenyans would receive if they used the SHA ambulance service.
Earlier, Mwangangi outlined new requirements that contracted healthcare providers must meet when adding their children to their SHA cover.
She noted that for children under a legal guardian, the facilities will be required to submit either a deed or a will appointing the guardian. Alternatively, the medical facilities can submit a certified court guardianship order to support claims.
The CEO added that for claims of children under kinship care, the facilities will either submit a custody order or a letter from a children's officer confirming the kinship care arrangement.
