Motorcycle transporters, popularly known as boda-boda riders in Kenya, have become a convenient way of transporting people and goods in Kenya.
With the rising number of fatal road crashes involving motorcyclists in Kenya, boda-boda riders are increasingly becoming helpful when transferring injured patients through lengthy traffic jams in urban areas, and difficult terrain and poor roads in rural areas.
A recent report by Kenya’s transport safety authority shows that 4,579 people died in road crashes in 2021, up from 3,975 in 2020.
In the last nine years, the number of riders dying annually has been increasing steadily from 481 in 2013 to an all-time high of 1,634 deaths in 2021. What is most concerning is that half of these road deaths are because of mishandling and incorrect first aid given by the first responders.
To reduce this rising trend of road fatalities, over 200,000 boda-boda operators will receive first aid and emergency response training to enable them to attend to road crash cases while on the road. All trained boda-boda riders will be given direct contact with the ambulance dispatch centre for coordination whenever they respond to any medical emergency incident.
The pilot of the training began on June 21, 2022, in Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, 200 riders were trained and issued first aid kits and certificates.
St John Kenya spearheaded the training in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport following an order by Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is also the Chief Patron of St John Kenya.
Speaking during an investiture ceremony of St John Kenya at All Saints Cathedral in the capital city, Nairobi on March 24, 2022, the Head of State said this initiative will boost the country’s first responder capacity.