Lodwar – November 14, 2025 (Public Communications and Media Relations)
Tye Chief Officer Medical Services, Dr Gilchrist Lokoel hosted a delegation from Save the Children and UNICEF at the Department for Health and Sanitation HQ. The purpose of this visit was to discuss emergency and referral services strengthening towards enhancing preparedness and response across the county.
The discussions geared at assessing gaps in emergency dispatch centre at the department HQ and the emergency department at Lodwar County Referral Hospital. The team identified challenges that will facilitate increased support and resources.
Speaking during the courtesy visit, Dr Lokoel urged the relevance in intensifying ongoing plans to upscale emergency services to sub-counties by establishing dispatch centers for timely management of emergency care. This will reduce long distances travelled healthcare facilities.
“By decentralising these services to sub-counties, we will enhance early management of trauma, environmental, surgical, medical, obstetric and neonatal emergencies, thus saving lives,” he said.
He also stated that the county government has made significant strides towards elevating emergency services. “These include recruitment of the emergency medical team, two additional equipped ambulances to the 13 prior, and allocated Shs 8 million budget. This demonstrates county’s preparedness on improving emergency services,”
The Director for Medical Services, Dr Ekiru Kidalio, highlighted the county government’s referral strategy that plans to map out orthopaedic surgeons to sub-county hospitals to manage emergency cases at the spot and save lives.
The County Emergency and Referral Services Coordinator, Achiro Kephas, highlighted that the county has an emergency dispatch centre located at the county’s health department.
He added that the public can make emergency calls to the centre using a toll-free line 0709504400, and a response will be initiated immediately.
In collaboration with Save the Children, the Chief Officer outlined joint commitment to strengthen stabilisation centres across the county and within the Kakuma Refugee Camp, training healthcare workers on emergency response, and equiping ambulances with basic life-support.
Present were directors, deputy directors for Policy Planning, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Health Products and Technologies, and Administration.
The development partner representatives present include Ellen Whinnett, the Manager, Australia Regional Leadership Initiative Delegation/Save the Children Australia and Abdallah Shariff Yusuf, the Program Manager, Save the Children, Turkana Office, and Benson Musau from UNICEF, Turkana Office.
