19 first aid units, trauma facilities to be built along Kenya’s blackspots

Every year, thousands of lives are lost on Kenya’s roads, not just from the impact of crashes, but from the long wait for help that never comes in time.

Now, in a move that brings hope to victims and their families, the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) and St John's Ambulance have announced plans to set up 19 mobile first aid posts and four trauma centres along major highways.

The new facilities are expected to bring emergency care closer to crash scenes and give survivors a fighting chance.

This development follows a meeting between the two organisations, where they discussed how to strengthen post-crash care and improve road safety.

Both sides agreed that the first hour after an accident, often called the "golden hour", is crucial for saving lives and that access to immediate medical assistance could greatly reduce fatalities.

As part of the agreement, KeNHA will provide access to road reserves to set up the new facilities in areas identified as accident blackspots.

The goal is to offer emergency care, stabilisation, and quicker response times to victims involved in road crashes.

The project will also involve training boda boda riders and traffic police officers in first aid, equipping them with the skills to provide immediate help before ambulances or medics arrive.

St John’s Ambulance confirmed that Nairobi already has 304 trained boda boda first responders in neighbourhoods like Mukuru kwa Reuben, Pipeline Embakasi and Kibera.

To support the rollout and long-term goals, KeNHA and St John’s Ambulance have agreed to draft a memorandum of understanding that will guide the partnership. The move signals a broader commitment to reducing injuries and deaths on Kenyan roads through long-term collaboration.

According to St John’s, this step is expected to improve how quickly victims receive help, which could make a difference between life and death.

“According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), thousands of Kenyans die every year from road crashes, with many lives lost due to delayed emergency response. The new initiative seeks to turn the tide by ensuring victims are not left helpless on highways,” St. John’s posted on Friday.

“The move marks a significant step in addressing Kenya’s road safety crisis and offers renewed hope for survivors of highway crashes,” they added.

The initiative comes amid rising concern over the number of road crash deaths in Kenya.

In the first nine months of 2025 alone, 3,397 people have lost their lives, according to new data from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA). This is 28 more deaths than were recorded in the same period last year.

In total, 17,270 people have been involved in road crashes this year, an increase of 291 from 2024. Pedestrians have been the most affected, with 1,285 deaths, followed by 858 motorcyclists, 568 passengers and 309 drivers.

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The National Road Safety Action Plan 2024–2028 shows that most deadly crashes happen during the evening hours, particularly between 7 pm and 10 pm, when visibility is lower, vehicle speeds increase, and drunk driving is more common.

NTSA data shows that 26 per cent of crashes in Nairobi and 30 per cent nationally occur during this time window.

Police reports also show that nearly half of the total fatalities, 45.7 per cent, are concentrated in just eight counties, which represent only 32 per cent of Kenya’s population.

In Nairobi, five main roads, despite making up just two per cent of the city’s entire road network, are responsible for 36 per cent of fatal crashes.

The new trauma centres and first aid posts, backed by trained responders on motorcycles and supported by the police, are expected to directly address these patterns by improving access to life-saving help where and when it’s needed most.