PROJECT 47 | Emergency Care in 47 Counties
PROJECT 47 |
Emergency Care
in 47 Counties
Background
An increasing number of patients with emergencies currently present to hospitals across Kenya. This is due to the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (such as cancer, diabetes and hypertension), mental illness and trauma (largely secondary to road traffic injuries) in the background of an already existing large burden of communicable diseases. Unfortunately, during emergencies the healthcare system is often dysfunctional and fails the public. Lack of proper emergency medical care contributes to increased morbidity and mortality by up to 50%. Establishing an emergency medical care system in Kenya can not only address this but help tackle SDGs 3 (Health), 11 (Disasters), and 16 (Violence).
In 2013, Kenya transitioned into a devolved system of governance comprising two levels: the national government and 47 semiautonomous county governments. Under devolution, the health service delivery function was transferred to county governments while the national government retained policy and regulatory functions.
To develop a sustainable emergency medical care system in all the 47 Counties that is appropriate for the local healthcare system, EMKF in 2018 developed a blueprint for emergency medical care system development in Kenya aptly dubbed ‘Project 47‘.
Objective
Project 47 aims to establish emergency medical care systems across the 47 Counties in Kenya in line with the WHO Emergency Care System Framework [WATCH VIDEO].
Specific Objectives include;
- To support the development of integrated National and County infrastructure to ensure universal access to emergency medical care
- To ensure the highest quality of service delivery across the emergency medical care system
- To help establish mechanisms for the financing of emergency medical care
- To support emergency medical care human resource development and management
- To establish systems for monitoring, evaluation, surveillance and research on emergency medical care
- To strengthen emergency medical care leadership and governance
Interventions
Charles Murito - Former Country Manager, Google Kenya explains the partnership with EMKF to improve access to emergency care in Kenya through Google.
Launch of the Kenya Emergency Medical Care (EMC) Policy 2020-2030 by the Ministry of Health on 7th July 2021
