The County Government of Siaya has procured ambulances with advanced life support at a cost of Sh20 million.
These are in addition to another ambulance bought shortly after Governor James Orengo came into office in September last year.
Governor Orengo said the new ambulances will be placed at the Siaya County referral hospital and Bondo sub-county hospitals.
He said the new ambulances are part of his administration's plan to replace the ageing ambulances inherited from the previous administration.
The ambulances were released to the facilities on Wednesday in a ceremony presided over by the county boss at the county headquarters in Siaya Town.
The governor said the new ambulances have the capacity for advanced life support, offering "mini-ICU-like" services as a patient is evacuated or referred from one facility to the next.
"With this investment, there will be a direct impact on maternal health, pregnancy outcomes and outcomes of other medical emergencies due to the elimination of delays," he said.
Orengo said that the expansion of referral services will similarly be realised by repositioning an ambulance from Bondo to Madiany Hospital, to serve the wider Rarieda sub-county.
"These are state-of-the-art Ambulances with advanced life support, unlike previous ones that basically offered transportation from point A to B," he said.
The governor at the same time announced that his administration has intensified campaigns to rid the county of cholera.
He disclosed that the mitigation measures were in response to the outbreak of the disease in the County a few weeks ago.
Siaya has since reported 118 cholera cases according to the governor.
"We've had cumulatively 118 cases, with 4 deaths," he said.
The deaths, according to the governor all occurred at Bondo Sub County hospital.
The cases, he noted were mainly reported Rarieda and Boondo sub-counties.
He said that health officers have been engaged in spirited health education with the public.
Orengo said the officers were promoting good hygiene practices, including hand washing and the use of latrines.
"They are also advocating for treatment of drinking water, and early presentation to hospital for those with signs and symptoms of cholera," he added.
"We have particularly intensified campaigns at Kamariga Beach, Oyamo and Sifu islands," he said.
Orengo further noted that community health volunteers are at the forefront of the fight against cholera in Siaya.
"We have established CTUs(cholera treatment centres) at Manyuanda Health Centre, Oyamo, Uyawi, Bondo sub-county hospital, within these two subcounties," Orengo said.
The governor also revealed that the county government also procured emergency life-saving commodities, which were distributed to these sites, as well as other facilities.
