Kenya launches center to handle medical emergency services

Kenya has launched the first ever emergency operation center through which medical emergency responses will be addressed and coordinated.

The Public Health Emergency Operations Center, which will be based at East Africa's largest referral hospital, the Kenyatta National Hospital grounds will be able to bring together medical health workers working from 64 different sites in the event of an emergency.

Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu said in a statement received on Wednesday that the state of the art facility will help respond to medical issues in a real time.

"Through this facility, we will be able to coordinate emergencies as soon as they occur. It will also help to mobilise health workers and maximize resources," he said.

The center, which was handed to the ministry by the World Health Organization (WHO), will also help medical personnel come up with contingency plans during emergencies and identify priority areas.

The ministry said the center, which mainly handle victims of accidents and other disasters, will in addition act as a link between the National and County governments in the event of any emergency and communicate with stakeholders.

WHO Country Representative for Kenya Custodia Mandlhate said the center comes with teleconferencing and computing facilities that will allow health workers to interact virtually.

Kenya is one of 14 African countries out of 47 that have set up this system. "We can actually be declared pioneers but resource mobilization is needed to maintain the center," Mandlhate said.

She further revealed that there had been some delays in assessing core capacities, but that the facility would provide guidance in real-time for action to be taken. Enditem