Kenya will open its first National Ambulance Dispatch Centre by the end of July, as part of a major overhaul of emergency medical response, President William Ruto announced.
Speaking at the 95th St. John Ambulance annual parade and inspection on Sunday, June 21, Ruto said the dispatch centre aims to improve coordination, cut response times, and ensure nationwide access to life‑saving services.
The Head of State added that the centre will be the second of its kind in Africa, placing Kenya among a small group of countries with 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 have a nationally coordinated ambulance system,” Ruto stated.
He said the centre, which is due to launch by the end of July 2026, will be fully integrated into the country’s digital health infrastructure and operated by the Digital Health Agency.
It will use real‑time coordination systems to speed ambulance deployment and improve communication between emergency responders and health facilities.
The president added, “The centre will be integrated into our digital health infrastructure, powered by the Digital Health Agency, enabling faster coordination, real‑time deployment, and a more efficient emergency response nationwide.”
Emergency ambulance evacuation services under the system will be provided free of charge to all Kenyans in need, easing financial barriers during medical emergencies.
Once operational, the system is expected to coordinate approximately 100,000 emergency evacuations each year.
The reform is part of the government’s wider push to digitise health services and strengthen universal health coverage through technology‑driven systems.
Under the plan, a central dispatch centre will send the nearest ambulance to a caller, transporting the patient to the closest hospital.
According to Ruto, the first 24 hours of treatmentadmission, surgery, and other necessary interventionswill be fully funded.
Plans to grant Kenyans free emergency medical care for the first 24 hours under the Social Health Authority’s Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund were first announced by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, who expected a rollout by the end of June.
In April, Duale said the plan includes a nationwide ambulance dispatch service where Kenyans can call a central centre and the nearest ambulance will be sent, with the SHA covering all costs for the first 24 hours at the hospital.