In a recent webinar hosted by East Africa Biodesign and MEDevice Africa, stakeholders across the health innovation ecosystem came together to confront a persistent challenge: how to scale technology-enabled emergency care in Africa. Moderated by Wambui Nyabero, the session spotlighted Judith Oketch, whose work is reshaping how Kenyans access life-saving services through Ambulex.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Kenya remain critically under-resourced. The World Health Organization recommends one ambulance per 50,000 people, yet Kenya has fewer than 1,000 functional ambulances serving a population of over 50 million.
Many ambulances are privately owned, leaving public options unreliable due to maintenance challenges. For most Kenyans, cost is the biggest barrier: a single ambulance ride can range from KES 5,000 to 150,000, far out of reach for those living on less than KES 500 a day.
For Judith, Ambulex was never just a startup, it was a response to lived reality. Growing up in Kibera, she witnessed the prevalence of domestic and gender-based violence (GBV), alongside the absence of accessible emergency response systems.
A defining moment came when she encountered a stabbing victim and realized she didn’t know how to get help. “I actually remember dialing 911,” she shared, an instinct shaped by exposure to Western media, but one that revealed a critical gap in Kenya’s emergency infrastructure.
That moment became the foundation for Ambulex.
Reimagining Emergency Response
Ambulex functions as a tech-enabled coordination layer, connecting patients to the nearest available EMT, paramedic, or ambulance provider.
Beyond a smartphone app, the platform integrates a USSD channel to reach users on basic feature phones. Even in the face of power outages and unstable internet, the platform aims to maintain response times of 5 to 15 minutes.
Judith noted that their geolocation capabilities can pinpoint a patient within a five-meter radius, even if their phone powers off after sending an SOS. It’s a small but powerful detail that reflects a design grounded in real-world constraints.
Designing for the Bottom of the Pyramid
Affordability is central to Ambulex’s model. For KES 100 per month, a household can access up to four emergency rescues annually.
Sustaining this model requires a deliberate balance of impact and revenue:
- Strategic partnerships with insurers and HMOs to embed emergency services into wellness programs
- Corporate contracts providing safety coverage for high-risk sectors like construction
- Asset-light operations, leveraging existing ambulance networks instead of owning fleets
This hybrid approach allows Ambulex to scale without passing prohibitive costs to users.
A Targeted Response to Gender Based Violence
Reflecting its origins, Ambulex integrates a dedicated GBV SOS feature. The system coordinates with local law enforcement to ensure safe access for emergency responders during high-risk situations.
But the response goes beyond immediate care. Survivors are connected to safe houses, psychological support, and services that preserve medical evidence, ensuring both recovery and access to justice.
Leadership, Bias, and Building Against the Odds
Judith spoke candidly about the structural barriers facing female founders. Women receive less than 2% of global venture capital funding, a gap compounded by gendered expectations that often surface in professional spaces.
Her approach to navigating this has been intentional. Early on, she focused on refining how she communicates impact; learning to tell a story that resonates with both mission-driven and commercially minded investors.
Her advice to innovators is grounded in realism:
“There are going to be a billion voices telling you not to do it… Do not lose focus.”
An Ecosystem in Motion
The conversation also highlighted the broader ecosystem enabling innovations like Ambulex. Organizations such as Villgro Africa and the WinFund are playing a key role in providing the technical support and financing needed to scale solutions across East Africa.
As the session closed, one theme remained clear: solving emergency care in Kenya will require more than infrastructure. It will demand collaboration, context-aware design, and founders willing to build where the need is greatest.
