Kenya is preparing to roll out its first National Ambulance Dispatch Centre by the end of July, marking a significant shift in the country's emergency medical response system, President William Ruto has announced.
Addressing participants during the 95th St. John Ambulance Annual Parade and Inspection on Sunday, June 21, the President said the new dispatch centre is designed to enhance coordination of emergency services, cut response times and expand access to critical medical care nationwide.
Ruto noted that the facility will make Kenya only the second country in Africa to operate a nationally coordinated ambulance system.
“I am pleased to announce that Kenya will launch its first National Ambulance Dispatch Centre, becoming the second African country to establish a nationally coordinated ambulance system,” Ruto said.
The President revealed that the centre is scheduled to go live before the end of July 2026 and will be linked to Kenya's digital health infrastructure through the Digital Health Agency.
Using real-time tracking and coordination technology, the system is expected to improve ambulance deployment and strengthen communication between emergency responders and healthcare facilities.
“The centre, which is scheduled to be launched by the end of July, will be integrated into our digital health infrastructure and powered by the Digital Health Agency, enabling faster coordination, real-time deployment and more efficient emergency response across the country,” he added.
Ruto further announced that emergency ambulance evacuation services under the programme will be offered free of charge to all Kenyans requiring urgent medical assistance, eliminating cost barriers during emergencies.
The government projects that once fully operational, the system will handle about 100,000 emergency evacuations every year.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to digitise healthcare services and advance universal health coverage through technology-driven solutions.
Under the proposed model, Kenyans facing medical emergencies will contact a central dispatch centre, which will then direct the nearest available ambulance to the scene before transporting patients to the nearest healthcare facility.
Ruto also disclosed that treatment costs incurred during the first 24 hours after admission, including surgery and other emergency interventions, will be covered by the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Plans to provide free emergency medical care for the first 24 hours through the Social Health Authority's Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund were first unveiled by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, who indicated that the programme was expected to be implemented by the end of June.
Speaking in April, Duale said the initiative would include a nationwide ambulance dispatch network, allowing Kenyans to call a central emergency centre and receive the nearest ambulance, while SHA settles all treatment costs incurred within the first 24 hours of hospitalisation.
