Uasin Gishu is moving closer to a strategic partnership with St John Ambulance Kenya that could transform emergency medical response, expand first aid skills at the community level and strengthen preparedness across the county.

The County Executive for  Health Services Janet Kurgat hosted a high-level delegation from St John Ambulance Kenya Tuesday,  led by Council Chairman Robert Mutula and Chief Executive Officer Paul Ngugi.

The two sides held detailed talks on pre-hospital emergency care, disaster response, first aid training, community outreach and closer collaboration on public health activities.

“Developing a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding will give us a clear operational framework,” Kurgat said during the engagement.

She added : “This partnership will enable swift medical evacuations, better coordinated emergency response, and improved management of our emergency transport fleet. We cannot afford delays when lives are on the line.”

The County Executive stressed the urgency of cascading skills to the grassroots, adding,  “We must build the capacity of our frontline health workers and Community Health Promoters(CHPS) so that stabilization begins at the household level. Standardized first aid training for CHPs is an immediate priority.”

Chief Officer for Clinical Services Ambrose Tarus and Chief Officer for Promotive and Preventive Health Dr. Billy Lubanga confirmed that any partnership would be carefully aligned with existing county systems.

“The strategies developed under this collaboration will fit seamlessly into both our clinical operations and our preventative healthcare networks,” Tarus affirmed.

The proposed partnership also places strong emphasis on youth empowerment. Young people will be equipped with practical skills to respond to emergencies, administer basic first aid and serve as first responders in their communities.

Once implemented, the initiative is expected to narrow the gap between rural residents and formal emergency medical services including faster assistance during road traffic accidents, medical emergencies and other critical incidents is a key goal.

Both teams used the meeting to assess the specific emergency response needs of the locals and to identify practical, long-term frameworks that will improve preparedness, disease prevention and coordinated dispatch.

Through this collaboration, the county aims to strengthen community-level first response, while fostering a culture of safety and shared responsibility in saving lives.

The engagement reflects Uasin Gishu’s continued push to build a more resilient health system through strategic public-private partnerships and investment in emergency preparedness.

By Maurice Aluda