Senators have raised alarm over what they termed the deteriorating state of ambulance services across the counties.
The lawmakers warned that poor maintenance, delayed payments and weak emergency response systems are putting lives at risk.
They said many counties have grounded ambulances, leaving patients, accident victims and expectant mothers struggling to access urgent medical care.
Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda, who is a member of the Senate Health Committee, described the condition of some county ambulances as a national embarrassment, saying vehicles meant to save lives were being neglected.
“It is a shame that a vehicle that is supposed to offer emergency services to citizens is in poor condition,” Mutinda, whose committee has been inquiring into the state of ambulance services across the counties, told the Senate.
She said the committee had inspected ambulance services in nearly 60 per cent of the counties and found serious challenges.
“We have conducted oversight as the Committee on Health by visiting most of the counties. We have carried out inspections, including of ambulances,” she said.
So far, the committee has visited hospitals in Wajir, Mandera, Kakamega, Garissa, Vihiga, Makueni, Kitui and Machakos.
The senator urged governors to prioritise healthcare services and ensure recommendations from Senate oversight reports are implemented.
“I urge governors to stop taking issues of hospitals lightly. At the same time, I urge colleague senators, especially the 47 elected ones, that when we table reports of the Committee on Health in this House with recommendations, you should continue following them up,” she said.
Marsabit Senator Mohamed Chute said the sorry state of ambulance services in the counties is a matter of serious concern.
He cited his county, which he said faces a shortage of functional emergency vehicles.
Chute said Marsabit’s vast geographical area and scattered population require a reliable emergency transport system, but residents are facing delays because several ambulances are grounded.
He said the shortage has affected emergency referrals, maternal healthcare, accident response and the transportation of critically ill patients.
“Residents are consequently compelled to rely on unsuitable private means of transport, resulting in delays in accessing critical medical care,” Chute said.
The senator asked the Health Committee to provide details on the number of ambulances in Marsabit, their operational status, the reasons for breakdowns and plans to repair grounded vehicles.
He also sought information on measures to ensure equitable access to ambulance services across all sub-counties, including Illeret in North Horr constituency, where residents have been waiting for an ambulance.
Narok Senator Ledama Olekina linked the ambulance crisis in counties to delayed payments to service providers, particularly the Kenya Red Cross Society.
He said the humanitarian organisation had been supporting counties with ambulance services but was facing financial challenges because of unpaid bills.
“The Kenya Red Cross Society has been offering ambulance services to all 47 counties. The problem is that our counties do not pay KRCS when bills are due,” Senator Olekina said.
He said some counties had lost access to ambulance services because of accumulated debts.
“That is why, if you go to my county of Narok, there are no ambulances because KRCS is not being paid,” he said.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale warned the ambulance crisis was worsening health inequalities, especially in marginalised counties such as Marsabit.
He said the lack of emergency transport was contributing to high maternal deaths because women in remote areas could not reach health facilities in time.
“In Marsabit, the record is that for every 100,000 women who give birth, between 850 and 1,200 lose their lives,” Khalwale said.
He attributed the high maternal mortality rate partly to poor access to healthcare facilities, warning that the situation could worsen without functional ambulances.
“Given the distances in Marsabit, without an ambulance, this number can easily double,” he said.
Khalwale also criticised the state of health facilities in Marsabit, saying some hospitals had been classified as level 4 facilities despite lacking essential medical personnel.
“There is a level 4 hospital in Sololo and another in Kalachi. Unfortunately, they are level 4 by name because there are no doctors in those hospitals,” he said.
The senator urged Health CS Aden Duale to ensure hospitals meet the required standards before being classified as higher-level facilities.
“A level 4 hospital is supposed to provide both medical and surgical services. Clinical officers are not trained to perform surgery,” he said.
The senator further criticised the Social Health Authority (SHA), saying challenges within the programme had worsened access to healthcare in the counties.
“The SHA has failed,” Khalwale said, adding that concerns raised earlier about the programme were aimed at improving government services.
The senators called for increased investment in ambulance procurement, maintenance, staffing, fuel and emergency referral systems to ensure citizens receive timely medical attention.
They warned that, without urgent reforms, vulnerable groups, especially residents of remote counties, would continue to bear the greatest burden of a failing emergency healthcare system.
