Expectant mothers living in the remote and hard-to-reach areas of Tiaty East and Tiaty West sub-counties in Baringo County are set to benefit from improved emergency healthcare services following the donation of a tricycle ambulance by Dandelion Africa, a women-led grassroots non-governmental organization (NGO).
The specialized three-wheeled ambulance was officially launched outside the Baringo Governor’s Office in Kabarnet on Thursday.
The donation is expected to improve access to timely maternal and child healthcare in areas where poor road infrastructure and long distances to health facilities have contributed to delays in emergency medical response.
Speaking during the launch, Dandelion Africa Founder and Executive Director Wendo Sahar said the tri-ambulance was designed to bridge critical healthcare gaps in remote communities where conventional ambulances often cannot operate because of difficult terrain.
She said the organization was also donating pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical medical supplies to strengthen healthcare delivery in the region.
The ambulance will be stationed at Tangulbei Health Facility in Tiaty East Subcounty and will serve surrounding communities.
Sahar explained that the idea for the specialized ambulance originated from local community elders during one of the organization’s outreach programmes.
Residents had expressed concern over the difficulties pregnant women experience while travelling long distances to health facilities, especially during labour.
“The tri-ambulance will mainly serve women and children, particularly expectant mothers requiring urgent transportation during delivery, because it can easily navigate rough and inaccessible terrain,” she said.
She noted that postpartum hemorrhage and neonatal sepsis remain among the leading causes of maternal and infant deaths in the area, making timely access to skilled healthcare essential for saving lives.
Sahar added that Dandelion Africa is working closely with the Baringo County Government, healthcare workers, and development partners to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes through community-based interventions and enhanced emergency referral systems.
Baringo Deputy Governor Eng. Felix Kimaiyo welcomed the donation, describing it as a timely intervention that will strengthen emergency response services in remote locations where health facilities are widely dispersed.
Kimaiyo said the county government has operationalized nine new health facilities during the current financial year to improve access to healthcare, adding that the donated ambulance complements ongoing efforts to expand essential medical services.
He further announced that the county is rolling out a community scorecard initiative aimed at strengthening communication between residents, leaders, and healthcare providers.
“We shall continue engaging all stakeholders and respond to their feedback on a monthly basis to improve service delivery in the health sector,” he said.
Deputy Head of the Division of Community Health Services at the Ministry of Health, John Wanyungu, underscored the importance of the community scorecard in promoting accountability and improving access to healthcare services in marginalized areas.
Wanyungu said the initiative will also help address persistent challenges such as low immunization coverage, delayed referrals, and limited utilization of health services by ensuring communities actively participate in monitoring healthcare delivery.
By Benson Kelio and Joshua Kibet
