KENYA – Health Chief Administrative Dr. Rashid Aman has launched the Emergency Medical Care Policy 2020-2030. He has also inaugurated the Emergency medical care steering committee.
The launch of the policy is a great milestone in the Kenyan health sector, strengthening structures to meet the multifaceted demands for provision of efficient emergency and disaster preparedness, mitigation and response as well as building resilience in the health care system.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, MOH Kenya initiated a single short-code toll- free emergency access number, 719 which was supported by a dedicated 24-hour.
Dedicated COVID-19 ambulances were also dispatched through this service to provide emergency care and evacuation for patients across the country to dedicated treatment centers.
Dr. Rashid Aman said The Kenya Emergency Medical Care Policy 2020-2030 aims at establishing a vibrant Emergency Medical Care system as a key component of Kenya’s health care system and as an enabler to achieving UHC.
“The Emergency Medical Care policy is a precursor to creation of an Emergency Medical Fund as a fulfilment of National assembly resolution that Ministry of Health sets up an EMC fund to assist those in emergency treatment,” Dr Rashid Aman.
Implementation of the policy focuses on priority areas such as investment on EMC infrastructure, Emergency Command & Control Centers; Ambulance Coordination System & dispatch centers; information & communication technology & strengthening leadership & governance at all levels.
This is happening at a time when KEMRI and England Public health have entered into an agreement which will see the country benefit from platform to identify new COVID variants as part of the tie-up.
The new deal builds on the Health Partnership signed by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab & Cabinet Secretary for Health Mutahi Kagwe, during the former’s visit this January.
The platform aims to support countries effectively identify, assess & track new SARS-CoV-2 variants among their population, to fight COVID-19 and future pandemics.
The support includes reagents and equipment to increase in-country sequencing, technical advice, bioinformatics support, and training.
“Our partnership on COVID-19 has already been exceptional strong, with Kenyan and British scientists collaborating on the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, through the 30-year tie-up between Oxford University and KEMRI,” MOH reported.
