Emergency response is often a race against time—many do not win. The World Health Organisation recommends that emergency medical services respond to calls within eight minutes to ensure optimal patient outcomes. Yet, the average response time in Nairobi is 162 minutes—an alarming two hours and 42 minutes.
Too many people lose their lives simply because they cannot get timely medical help. The first hour, dubbed the “golden hour” of care, can make all the difference, the outcome for most can be the difference between life and death.
Whether it’s a woman in labour struggling to reach a hospital or a child needing urgent care after an accident, the gaps in Africa’s healthcare systems have been laid bare. These delays turn treatable conditions into tragedies, and the urgency to strengthen emergency response has never been greater.
Women and children bear the burden of inadequate healthcare, especially in maternal and child health. To protect lives, we must act now to transform emergency healthcare.
Yet, Africa’s emergency response system is riddled with challenges that slow life-saving care. Poor infrastructure remains one of the biggest obstacles, with many areas lacking proper roads, making it difficult for ambulances to navigate critical situations. In rural areas, health facilities are often too far apart or unequipped to handle emergencies.
The limited use of digital health tools and real-time data makes coordination difficult. Without proper systems, dispatching ambulances becomes inefficient, leading to deadly delays.
To save lives, we must take immediate and bold steps to overcome these challenges. Governments must invest in expanding road networks and equipping hospitals with the necessary resources.
Health facilities should be closer to communities to minimise travel time during emergencies. Digital platforms and real-time tracking tools can vastly improve response coordination, ensuring patients get the help they need faster.
No one should lose their life because help did not arrive in time. We must ensure that emergency response systems are strong, inclusive, and able to lives daily.
Article 43 of the Constitution guarantees the highest attainable standard of health to all citizens, including access to healthcare services and the right to emergency medical treatment.
Strengthening emergency response is not just a necessity—it is a constitutional obligation.
Building the capacity of healthcare workers, emergency responders, and community volunteers, will create a stronger, more resilient emergency system.
Governments and private sector players must mobilise resources to ensure emergency healthcare is properly funded. National emergency response policies should be developed and enforced to create a cohesive and efficient system that leaves no one behind.
The time for action is now. Every moment lost in an emergency can mean the difference between life and death.
Supply chain barriers further complicate emergency response. Medical supplies, including life-saving drugs and equipment, often take too long to reach those who need them due to fragmented logistics and trade barriers.
Financial constraints compound these issues—many African health systems remain underfunded, making it difficult to invest in reliable emergency response services.
Without clear national emergency response policies, services remain disjointed, leading to inefficiencies and inconsistencies in care.
Compounding these structural challenges is the impact of gender stereotypes on emergency medical services (EMS). Traditionally, EMS has been a male-dominated field, with women often perceived as caregivers rather than technical emergency experts. This perception has limited their opportunities for leadership and decision-making roles in emergency response.
If we are to save more lives, we must take immediate and bold steps to overcome these challenges. Governments must invest in expanding road networks and equipping hospitals with the necessary resources.
Health facilities should be strategically placed closer to communities to minimize travel time during emergencies. Digital platforms and real-time tracking tools can vastly improve response coordination, ensuring that patients get the help they need faster.
Building the capacity of healthcare workers, emergency responders, and community volunteers, will create a stronger, more resilient emergency system.
Governments and private sector players must mobilise resources to ensure emergency healthcare is properly funded. National emergency response policies should be developed and enforced to create a cohesive and efficient system that leaves no one behind.
The time for action is now. Every moment lost in an emergency can mean the difference between life and death. Governments, development partners, and the private sector must collaborate to strengthen emergency response systems and fix the weak links that continue to cost lives.
Investing in infrastructure, technology, and capacity building will save lives, while prioritizing gender equality will ensure that women’s voices and contributions are recognized in shaping healthcare solutions.
