NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 16 – Kenya is set to launch a unified national emergency medical response system later this month after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced that the new National Ambulance Dispatch Centre at the Social Health Authority (SHA) headquarters is more than 90 per cent complete.

📻 Breaking It Down

The facility, which will operate the new SHA 112 Lifeline, will serve as the country’s central emergency dispatch hub, coordinating ambulance services around the clock under the Taifa Care Model to provide faster and more coordinated emergency medical response nationwide.

Following an inspection of the facility on Thursday, Duale said the centre is on course for commissioning before the end of July.

“This centralized digital dispatch platform represents a monumental shift in how we handle medical emergencies in Kenya. Under the Taifa Care Model, we are ensuring that no Kenyan is left behind. By dialing a single lifeline, citizens will be connected to a rapid, coordinated response system that guarantees specialized care during their most critical moments,” he said.

📌 What You Need to Know

According to the Ministry of Health, the platform has already integrated 97 ambulances accredited by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC), while a total of 186 ambulances have been registered on the system ahead of the national rollout.

The government expects more public and private ambulance operators to join the network as implementation expands across the country.

The dispatch centre is equipped with an integrated digital system that will manage emergency calls from initial contact through hospital admission.

Officials said the platform includes a call management system for patient registration and clinical triage, a point-of-care application for paramedics in the field, and a real-time incident management system linked to the National Health Information Exchange to facilitate continuity of care.

“We are not just dispatching vehicles; we are linking the entire emergency pipeline digitally. With real-time data sharing, receiving hospitals will be fully prepared to treat patients the moment they arrive, saving precious minutes that could mean the difference between life and death,” Duale said.

To support the 24-hour service, the ministry has recruited 40 dispatch officers, including doctors, medical officers and customer care personnel.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya