Murang'a to equip boda boda riders with first aid skills

Boda boda operators in Murang’a County will soon be trained to assist pregnant women and offer first aid to accident victims.

The local Assembly has passed a motion compelling the executive to formulate county boda boda ambulance policy.

The policy, according to the Assembly, will see over 200 boda boda operators in Murang’a County’s 35 wards trained in a move aimed at lowering the infant mortality rate and accident related deaths.

According to nominated MCA Habire Chege who sponsored the motion, his proposal was informed after a child from Kariara Ward in Gatanga Sub-county was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital from excessive bleeding while being transported to the facility on a boda boda.

BASIC FIRST AID SKILLS

He said that if the boda boda rider was equipped with basic first aid skills, the boy’s life would have been saved.

“There is need to train riders to administer first aid to accident victims and pregnant women who endanger the lives of infants after delivering on the roads.

“The county executive member for health should come up with a framework to offer basic skills to the riders, map areas in the county that will be supplied with the boda boda ambulances,” Mr Habire said.

ACCESSIBILITY

While supporting the motion, Kariara Ward MCA Joel Murigi said boda boda ambulances will complement the 10 ambulances in the county due to their ability to crisscross areas that are not accessible by the ambulances.

“We have accessibility challenges in the county due to poor roads and rough terrains, this makes it difficult for ambulances to reach patients in time,” Mr Murigi said.

The motion was supported by 50 MCAs.