NAIROBI, Kenya- President William Ruto has launched the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre (NADC) at the Social Health Authority (SHA) headquarters in Nairobi’s Upper Hill, marking the rollout of a national emergency medical response system designed to coordinate ambulance services across the country.
The President said the new system is intended to ensure that medical emergencies are handled based on urgency rather than a patient’s ability to pay.
“From today, whenever a Kenyan faces a medical emergency, the first question will never be whether they can pay. The first duty will be to save life,” Ruto said.
Under the programme, Kenyans will be able to call 922 free of charge from any mobile network, including without airtime, to request emergency medical assistance.
According to the President, the dispatch centre will coordinate ambulance deployment nationwide through a centralised system linked to accredited emergency service providers.
Ruto said 1,243 ambulance and emergency service providers have already been contracted by the Social Health Authority, forming the backbone of the country’s emergency medical services network.
The launch follows months of preparations by the Ministry of Health and SHA, including the development of dispatch systems, ambulance accreditation, systems integration and training of emergency service providers before the nationwide rollout.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale had previously said the facility would strengthen emergency response by improving coordination, reducing response times and connecting patients to the nearest appropriate health facilities through a digital platform.
President Ruto first announced plans for the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre in June, describing it as Kenya’s first nationally coordinated ambulance dispatch system and part of the government’s broader Universal Health Coverage agenda.
The dispatch centre is expected to serve as the national command hub for emergency medical services, coordinating public and private ambulance providers to improve access to emergency care across the country.
