The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) and St. John Ambulance have called for stronger collaborations to equip media practitioners with crucial first aid and emergency response skills.
During a meeting on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, MCK’s Manager for Government Relations and Stakeholder Engagement, Paul Oyier, said that the media's function extends beyond reporting.
He called for the equipping of journalists with emergency response skills, aiming to transform the media's role from merely reporting accidents to becoming essential first responders.
“Road safety is a national priority, and the media plays a critical role in informing the public. By equipping journalists with knowledge and skills in first aid and emergency response, we can ensure accurate and timely information reaches communities,” Mr Oyier remarked.
He urged St John Ambulance to leverage MCK’s networks to train journalists in first aid and enhance reporting on road accidents and emergency responses. He also proposed an engagement with the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to align emergency response efforts with the country’s road infrastructure plans.
A representative from St John Ambulance then explained that his team runs a 24-hour ambulance service, manages two trauma centers, has 14 first-aid posts, and uses volunteers to help over 1,500 injured people every year.
The representative also noted the need for public education, citing over 4,700 lives lost and more than 16,000 injuries in 2024 alone due to road accidents.
“St John Ambulance is committed to saving lives and building community resilience. Partnering with the media will ensure that life-saving information and best practices on emergency response reach the public effectively,” the representative noted.
Both parties agreed to formalise their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and committed to ongoing engagement.
They agreed to implement training programmes, joint drills, and media initiatives aimed at reducing road fatalities and enhancing emergency response nationwide.
The pact will also include co-developing journalist training programmes, conducting awareness campaigns, participating in the Annual Journalism Excellence Awards (AJEA), supporting journalist grants focused on safety and emergency reporting, and organising a charity walk in May 2026 to promote road safety awareness.
