The Health Cabinet Secretary (CS), Sicily Kariuki has assured visitors and Kenyans in general that should they face a health emergency the country has the highest quality of emergency response team.
The CS said that availability of internationally accredited emergency services also gives comfort to our international visitors should they find themselves in emergency situations while in the country, like during the unfortunate Dusit4 terror attack, where the Kenya Red Cross played key role in emergency evacuation.
Speaking on Wednesday during the ISO 9001: 2015 certification of E-plus emergency services owned by the Kenya Red Cross, Kariuki said that it is a pleasure to have one of the initial organizations that include the Ministry of Health, to be certified by the 2015 International Standard on Quality Management Systems.
“The Kenya Red Cross is a key partner of the Ministry of Health and the government at large especially in emergency medical care and disaster response situations. You serve people at their most vulnerable state and it is reassuring to all Kenyans that the standard of care you offer meets international standards,” said the CS.
She explained that the Kenya Red Cross works under the agreed disaster response plan of 2013 and fits into the Incident Command System led by the Ministry of Health, for a seamless effective response to all emergencies and disaster in Kenya.
“Emergency Medical Care in Kenya is anchored on implementation of global and national policy frameworks namely: The Sendai Framework of Action (2015-2030); The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2015-2030); The Constitution of Kenya; The Health Act 2017; The Kenya Vision 2030; The Health Policy; The Kenya Health Sector Strategic Plan; The National Disaster Response Plan (2014); The Health Sector Disaster Risk Management Strategic Plan and The Kenya Health Sector Referral Strategy and Guidelines among others,” highlighted Kariuki.
She added that the Ministry of Health has developed the Emergency Medical Care Policy 2018-2030, which they are preparing to launch.
“This Emergency Medical Care Policy seeks to establish a working Emergency Medical Care (EMC) System as an enabler to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and ensuring every Kenyan has the highest attainable standard of emergency health care,” said the CS.
Kariuki said that the policy will facilitate delivery and funding of emergency medical care; ensure recognition of emergency medical care as an integral component of the healthcare system; coordination of all emergency medical service providers and creation of a council to operationalize the policy.
“Thus, the Emergency Medical Care (EMC) Policy 2018 – 2030, aims to ensure equitable access and delivery of emergency medical care at the National and County Government. To ensure full operationalization of this policy, the Ministry shall set up requisite structures and mechanisms. We shall also set aside resources for the management of EMC to support access to emergency medical care through a new framework under the Universal Health Coverage,” said Kariuki.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
