Kakamega County Governor Fernades Barasa has flagged off 12 brand new ambulances that will be used by the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) to provide emergency and evacuation services to Kakamega residents.
The Governor said two of the ambulances are advanced life support also described as Moving Intensive Care Units (ICUs) vehicles.
The ambulances will replace the ones whose lifespan has come to an end, a move to ensure that emergency healthcare services are not interrupted.
Speaking after flagging off the ambulances at Kakamega General Hospital, Governor Barasa said the ambulances will be stationed in the 12 sub counties asking residents to make use of them.
“There is a contract we have signed with the Kenya Red Cross Society to provide health services to our patients, and since it’s a leasing model, we have signed a contract of five years which will be vital in helping our patients,” he added.
The Governor disclosed that the county government has partnered with the KRCS for the last 10 years to provide emergency medical services, education and water among other services.
“Our focus on matters of healthcare is about efficient services, we cannot compromise on the services that we give to our patients. And looking into the vastness of our county, this facility of emergency rescue is extremely important and for now you may be aware that the budgets for counties have drastically reduced following the rejection of the finance Bill,” he added.
“So we must be genius enough and come up with strategies of making sure that we continue to offer services using the most efficient approach and that is why the leasing model for now is the most appropriate method to provide effective and efficient medical services to our people,” he added.
Former Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross Society Abbas Gullet said that for the last 10 years the KRCS ambulances have responded to 60 000 emergency calls in Kakamega county.
He said due to the need to respond to emergency calls, the KRCS made an agreement to be replacing its ambulances after every five years or when they clock a speed of 150 000 Kilometers.
“The agreement that we have as part of this leasing agreement with Kakamega County government is that in every five years or 150 000 Kilometers whichever comes first, the car will be recycled and we will bring new ones as we take out the old ones, this is what is happening today. I am very happy that in the last 10 years this is the third time we are doing this in bringing new ambulances and taking out the old ones that have served their purposes,” he explained.
He said that the ambulances that have been flagged off are fully loaded with the best paramedics and well trained young men and women from the country who will be offering services.
“The ambulances are supposed to provide services to the people on a 24 hours’ basis in 365 days nonstop,” Gullet said.
He commended the leadership of Kakamega County for improving the health indicators which he described as among the best in the country due to uninterrupted services.
Gullet said KRCS has also partnered with other counties in the provision of emergency and evacuation like Mandera, Narok, Bomet, Kisii, Garissa, Mandera, Kiambu among others on a leasing model.
“Other counties decided to buy their own ambulances, but we have seen in many counties it doesn’t work, where they have bought their own and they are not being managed well. The problem with Kenya is not about equipment and materials, it’s all about management and what Kakamega county government has done, is they have outsourced that headache, what they want is their doctors and nurses to be in the clinics, hospitals in the dispensaries as KRCS deals with emergency response and evacuation,” he added.
By Moses Wekesa
