'Primitive!' Outrage after Laikipia County unveils 'boda boda ambulances' to ferry expectant mothers

These ambulances, introduced on Wednesday by Albert Taiti, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) responsible for Health at Nanyuki County Referral Hospital, are designed to facilitate the transportation of pregnant women to healthcare facilities, particularly in the more isolated regions of Laikipia North.

The initiative, which is the first of its kind in the region, is supposedly aimed at reducing maternal mortality rates and ensuring that patients in far-flung areas reach health facilities in time.

Speaking during the launch in Nanyuki, Governor Joshua Irungu said the move was prompted by the challenges residents face in accessing medical services due to the poor road network in some parts of the county.

"We have seen cases where pregnant women and the sick lose their lives because they could not reach hospitals on time. These motorcycle ambulances are designed to navigate terrains where conventional ambulances cannot reach," said Irungu.

The governor noted that the boda bodas have been customised with a sidecar that is equipped with a stretcher, a first aid kit, and space for medical personnel to accompany the patient.

He added that the county has already identified several hotspots, especially in Laikipia North and Laikipia West, where the ambulances will be stationed.

However, Kenyans immediately took issue with the unconventional initiative, many finding it ridiculously ineffective and a downright mockery of public service.

Those in firm opposition to the idea pointed out the senselessness in execution, wondering how a heavily pregnant woman was supposed to find comfort in a boda boda carrier, considering the rough terrains and often times reckless riding tendencies of the hired riders.

Some Laikipia residents themselves rejected the initiative, many asking for newer, more comfortable and well-equipped ambulances instead of the rickety mobile organs hurriedly cobbled up and cheaply assembled.

The novel Laikipia 'ambulances' feature a regular motorcycle fitted with a sitting extension - essentially, a wheelbarrow-style carrier in which a pregnant woman is supposed to sit as she's ferried around the rugged landscape.

"Kwani, what's wrong with Laikipia leaders? First, some silly car and now this. Do they hate women this much? An ambulance costs between 5m to 10m depending on the level of customization. With 200m the county can have 20 to 40 ambulances instead of this mkokoteni to serve our women!" Jasper Mogire wrote on X. 

Someone else opined, "It is 2026. We are taxed to our fingertips. Billions are stolen everyday. "Bodabodas" shouldn't be used to ferry sick people, much less pregnant mothers. And some Kenyans are cheering. As if the politicians would allow their families to use boda ambulances!"

On his part, Dr Kipkoech Cheruiyot said: "Let it be known people planned a meeting in high end hotels or hired chefs, paid themselves huge allowances on top of fat salaries, to discuss and approve such things."

Yet another Kenyan on X wrote: "This is nothing to celebrate. This is rubbish. Utter rubbish. Is it that we don't think we deserve better? Four years away from "Vision 2030" and we have bodaboda ambulances for pregnant women?"

The Eezer Initiative, a Swedish-backed program that supports rural healthcare mobility in Africa, partnered with Laikipia County to pilot the project before expansion to other regions in Kenya.

According to Dr Alfred Sadera, Eezer’s coordinator for Laikipia, the initiative addresses a critical gap in maternal health. 

“We believe this project will solve most of the challenges related to access to care,” he said. “We understand this region struggles with poor roads and long distances to health centres, especially for women in labour.”

Previously launched in Burundi, the Eezer initiative performed 24,000 pregnancy-related transports using 71 motorcycle-ambulances between 2021 and 2023.