Later this year, the government of Kenya is scheduled to roll out an ambitious and futuristic Uber-style ambulance service, Aden Duale the country’s Health Cabinet Secretary said on Thursday.
According to emerging details, Kenyans will by October begin benefiting from the tech-driven ambulance response system by requesting for emergency transport via a digital platform.
“We are introducing a very good ambulance system by October, where Kenyans will use it like the app of calling an Uber,” Aden Duale said.
The service, he noted, will be fully funded by the government under the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund (ECCIF), which has already been budgeted for by Parliament.
“You check in our system, call the ambulance, and it takes you to a hospital free of charge, paid by the people of Kenya.”
According to Duale, the introduction of this service is aimed at addressing long-standing concerns about the availability and efficiency of emergency response in the country, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
It is part of the government’s broader push to reform healthcare delivery and ensure timely medical intervention for all citizens regardless of location or income level.
Once operational, the system is expected to integrate with existing health infrastructure and be accessible to all Kenyans in need of urgent medical care.
ECCIF is one of the three funds established under the section 28 of the Social Health Insurance Act of 2023.
It covers costs related to managing chronic illnesses after depletion of the social health insurance cover and funds emergency treatment.