Safaricom Foundation has donated a ksh. 9.5 million boat ambulance to King Fahad Referral Hospital in Lamu County to help deal with medical emergencies.
The ambulance will impact over 150,000 people by linking patients from Faza and Mpeketoni Sub-County Hospitals, Kiwayuu and Kizingitini dispensaries, Kiunga and other health centres to referral services at King Fahad Referral Hospital.
The ambulance, which uses a toll-free number for emergency services, is also fitted with emergency and surgical equipment needed to treat patients needing critical care and is estimated to be able to conduct 50 referrals per month.
Safaricom Foundation Chairman Joe Ogutu, said the move was in response to achieving Sustainable Dvelopment Goals-3, which has to do with ensuring healthy lives and wellbeing for all.
“We have had a fruitful partnership with the leadership of the Lamu County Government that has seen us invest more than KES 33 million in maternal healthcare. We hope that these latest investments will bring us closer to achieving near zero maternal and infant mortality rates.” he said.
Speaking during the launch, Fahim Twaha, Governor Lamu County commended Safaricom Foundation on its efforts to improve healthcare in the county.
“Smaller hospitals that need to refer patients to King Fahad Referral Hospital are spread out across the Indian Ocean in different locations. This means that patients have a difficult time trying to get to the level 5 hospital. This is because boats are either not easily accessible or only offer transportation during specific times. This makes urgent medical cases challenging to respond to,” he said.
