County Launches First Emergency Medical Care Plan
Trans Nzoia County in western Kenya marked a historic milestone by launching its first Emergency Medical Care (EMC) Plan for 2023-2027. The launch on World Emergency Medicine Day highlighted the county's commitment to improving emergency medical services for its residents.
The event in the county’s capital city of Kitale brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including government officials, healthcare professionals and representatives from various partner organizations. The county's emergency response team conducted impressive drills, demonstrating their preparedness and the need for coordinated, multidisciplinary efforts in disaster response scenarios.
Dr. Dennis Miriti, the emergency and ambulance coordinator for Trans Nzoia County, emphasized the importance of the new plan. "Our EMC plan is designed to ensure that residents of Trans Nzoia can access emergency medical care anytime, anywhere," Dr. Miriti stated. "It outlines comprehensive emergency care at health facilities and promotes coordinated responses from all responders. It also includes training first responders to handle emergencies effectively."
Emily Nyagaki, director of programs at the Emergency Medicine Kenya Foundation, applauded the county for its proactive approach. "The Emergency Medicine Kenya Foundation is dedicated to ensuring communities are prepared for emergencies. We focus on building infrastructure, establishing policies and fostering leadership in emergency medicine," Nyagaki said. "We commend Trans Nzoia County for their EMC plan and look forward to partnering with them to enhance emergency services, train healthcare workers and improve emergency infrastructure."
USAID AMPATH Uzima played a crucial role in facilitating the development of the EMC plan. Steve Odima, a representative from the organization, highlighted their ongoing support. "Today marks a significant milestone for Trans Nzoia County. The EMC booklet will guide emergency medical care service implementation," Odima noted. "USAID AMPATH Uzima has been a steadfast supporter, providing training for healthcare workers and Community Health Promoters (CHPs), facilitating household-to-facility referrals, training in emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC), and procuring emergency care equipment."
County Executive Committee Member for Health Sam Ojwang' represented H.E. Governor George Natembeya at the event and delivered his speech. "We are proud to launch the first-ever EMC plan for Trans Nzoia County, developed in line with Kenya's EMC policy 2020-2030 and EMC strategy 2020-2025," Ojwang' said. "Our government is committed to enhancing healthcare for our residents. This plan outlines our strategy to improve emergency care over the next several years."
Ojwang' also unveiled a toll-free emergency hotline to ensure timely, multidisciplinary emergency responses. "We plan to establish an emergency operations command center to coordinate our efforts and train CHPs in basic emergency handling and referrals," he added. "Additionally, we will train matatu and boda boda operators in first aid and safe transport of emergency victims."
Governor Natembeya's vision for the EMC plan includes improving the capacity of county hospitals to provide 24-hour emergency services with adequate staffing and functioning theatres. "Our commitment is to the health and safety of our residents," Ojwang' concluded.
The launch of the EMC plan marks the beginning of a new era for Trans Nzoia County, which will focus on ensuring that emergency medical services are accessible, efficient and effective. With the support of USAID AMPATH Uzima and the Emergency Medicine Kenya Foundation, Trans Nzoia is set to become a model for emergency medical care in Kenya.
The residents of Trans Nzoia County can now look forward to a future where help is just a call away and emergency medical services are always within reach.