Here are new numbers to call incase of health emergency in Nakuru

The Nakuru County Department of Health has revamped its emergency hotline system in a move aimed at improving response times and strengthening coordination between communities and health responders.

The shift, spearheaded by the County Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), comes after the department replaced its old numbers, some of which had been blocked or lost during a system breakdown, with new, easier-to-remember hotlines.

According to Moses Obiero, the Public Health Officer in charge of the EOC, the new numbers will make it easier for residents to report health emergencies promptly.

“We used to have numbers that were being used for the department, but some of them had issues, including being blocked. We now have new hotline numbers, and we are also working on a modality of having a toll-free line for the department,” he says.

The new primary number, 0799 032 032, has been designed for ease of recall, alongside three supporting lines - 0748 219 323, 0748 220 479, and 0748 221 187 - that follow a similar pattern for simplicity.

Obiero says this uniformity is intentional, meant to help the public memorize and use them with ease during emergencies.

The introduction of the new lines marks a new chapter for Nakuru’s “nerve centre” for public health response, which Mtaa Wangu spotlighted earlier this year on June 5, 2025, for its success in detecting and containing potential disease outbreaks before they spread.

The EOC serves as the coordination hub for the county’s surveillance and rapid response teams—linking health workers, laboratories, and community informants in real time.

But while the technical side of the change is complete, the department is now focusing on what Obiero calls “the human side” of the transition—ensuring that communities know about the new numbers and use them.

“We are yet to start community awareness activities, especially in hotspot areas, to make sure people are aware of the change,” he says.

The outreach campaign involves visits to informal settlements, markets, and health facilities, where county officers are sharing the new hotline information through posters and public barazas.

Still, the process has not been without challenges.

Obiero admits that acquiring suitable numbers from mobile service providers has not been easy, and the department is still pursuing the establishment of a toll-free line to make access even easier.

“Getting these numbers is not very easy, but we managed to secure them. We’re not stopping here, we’re still working to get a toll-free line, and once we do, we’ll share it with the public,” he notes.

The improved hotline system is expected to reinforce Nakuru’s growing reputation as a county investing in proactive public health measures.