Kisumu government has acquired eight state-of-the-art ambulances worth Sh75 million.
The ambulances are equipped with emergency life support machines that are equivalent to an Intensive Care Unit.
Acting Health executive Nerry Achar said seven ambulances cost Sh10 million each, and one Sh5 million. He said they will boost emergency and referral services.
Governor Anyang' Nyong’o on Tuesday flagged off one of the ambulances. which was taken to Gita Subcounty Hospital in Kisumu East. Seven others factored in the current financial year will be delivered in two weeks.
One ambulance will be taken at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Achar said each subcounty will receive one ambulance. They are connected to a central ambulatory management system for effective coordination and management.
One ambulance will be based at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Nyong’o said the county ambulatory and emergency services system will enable health providers reach patients in need of emergency services and referrals faster.
“The system is ICT based. The patients and health facilities will be able to locate and access the nearest ambulance on a click of a button,” he said.
The ambulances have modern life support equipment and shall be operated by experienced paramedics trained by the county government, Nyong’o added.
“My administration has put measures in place to ensure that the referral system works. The ambulances will speed up the process of referring patients from lower health facilities,” he said.
Kisumu is among the four pilot counties in the Universal Health Coverage programme. The others are Nyeri, Machakos, and Isiolo.
Achar said more than 800,000 residents of Kisumu have enrolled in the Universal Health Coverage programme.
He said the county has listed 843,683 out of 1.1 million people in the county. Those registered are now able to access free services in public hospitals.
Achar said figures from the department of health show that the demand for services has doubled in the county during the pilot.
The UHC programe, Nyong’o said has led to increasing of the number of patients at public health facilities for free services.
“We have experienced pressure on the existing health facilities with most patients seeking treatment directly at county referral hospitals,” he said.
The governor said they are committed to ensuring the county referral system to work effectively to enable patients to make good use of dispensaries and health centers.
He said an additional 179 health providers have been hired using UHC funds disbursed by the national government.
Nyong’o said that patients only who cannot be handled at the dispensaries and health centres should seek treatment to referral facilities to ease the pressure.
He said UHC is one of the Big Four Agenda of President Uhuru Kenyatta to transform Kenya by 2022.
The UHC will ensure all Kenyans have access to preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services at minimum financial burden.
