By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
Kenya, 5 August 2026 - Kenyans requiring emergency medical attention will no longer have to worry about raising money before receiving lifesaving treatment after President William Ruto announced that the government will fully cover ambulance evacuation and the first 24 hours of emergency care.
Speaking during the launch of the SHA 922 Lifeline and the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre in Nairobi on Wednesday, the President said the new arrangement is designed to ensure that no patient is denied emergency treatment because of financial constraints.
Under the new system, emergency ambulance services and the first day of treatment will be financed through the government's Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund, regardless of whether a patient is registered with the Social Health Authority (SHA).
"Ambulance evacuation and the first 24 hours of emergency treatment will be paid for through the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund at the approved tariffs. This protection applies whether the patient is registered with SHA or not and whether or not they have paid for SHA," Ruto said.
The President said the new 922 emergency platform will do more than dispatch ambulances. Through the national digital health system, trained dispatchers will identify the health facility best equipped to treat a patient's condition instead of simply directing them to the nearest hospital.
"The objective is not simply to take the patient to the closest hospital, but to take them to the facility best suited to save their lives," he said.
Ruto emphasised that the reforms are intended to remove financial barriers that have historically delayed emergency care for many Kenyans.
"No deposit, no guarantee, no negotiation, no relatives running around looking for money. Everything will be taken care of. In an emergency, the first question must never be whether a patient can pay. The first duty is to save lives," he said.
He directed all health facilities contracted by SHA to admit and treat emergency patients immediately without demanding payment or proof of insurance.
"No person requiring emergency medical treatment shall be denied, delayed, referred or transferred because they cannot pay, because their cover cannot immediately be confirmed or because a form is incomplete. They should be served," the President said.
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Ruto said the launch of the 922 Lifeline marks the final phase of the government's health reforms, bringing together emergency response, digital healthcare and universal health coverage under one system.
He highlighted the progress made since the introduction of SHA, revealing that 32.2 million Kenyans are now registered with the scheme, while eight million people have received treatment over the past 18 months.
According to the President, the government has paid KSh 178.5 billion to hospitals, health centres, dispensaries and other healthcare facilities during that period.
He added that 107,000 Community Health Promoters have been trained and deployed nationwide, while the Primary Healthcare Fund has disbursed KSh 23.3 billion to more than 10,000 health facilities.
Ruto further revealed that more than 50,000 cancer patients and nearly 21,000 dialysis patients have received treatment through the national health system, while the government has allocated KSh 8 billion to the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund to protect Kenyans facing serious medical conditions.
"Today, I am very proud that we are launching the final leg of these health reforms," Ruto said, adding that the achievement followed years of consultations, legislative hurdles and collaboration between the national and county governments.
He said the reforms fulfill the constitutional guarantee that access to healthcare is a right for every Kenyan, not a privilege reserved for those who can afford it.