NAIROBI, June 22 – Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka on Sunday said he would push for government funding for St John’s Ambulance to boost its operations.
Speaking during the Annual Parade and Inspection ceremony for St John’s Ambulance held at Nairobi’s Uhuru Park, Musyoka said the First Aid services require prompt response and a high level of competence.
“If indeed Kenya’s Scouts and the Guides have been able to receive some kind of assistance I see no reason why as a government we cannot look after St John in a small way. But your case has been seriously noted and I will make the necessary recommendation,” said the VP, who is also the Chief Commissioner of Kenya’s Scouts movement.
He said the organisation should ensure there is continuous skill upgrading for staff and volunteers, use of advanced technology, team building and promoting the culture of learning.
Earlier, the St John’s National Council Chairman Marsden Madoka appealed for funding, in form of a subvention, saying the society’s ambulance arm has been largely affected by the high fuel prices.
He said: “Since you (Musyoka) are very sympathetic to the youth I would appeal to you to use your very good offices in getting continued support from the government to help us carry out the services which we are carrying out at the moment.”
Musyoka urged the youth to embrace the spirit of voluntary service as one way of utilising their skills and developing their talents.
The Vice President at the same time advised young people to avoid indiscipline and use of drugs and substances, but to instead utilise their talents and potential to lay a firm foundation for their future.
Musyoka noted that great nations are made through proper grooming of the youth by instilling discipline and character building and compulsory traits necessary for the success of volunteer services.
At the same time, All Saints Cathedral Provost David Sawe called on the government to invest in programmes which would enable the youth to use their skills as way of keeping them from resulting to drug abuse or causing chaos.
“Being the actual strength of the turn of the society, the youth have a very crucial role and to be placed at the forefront of this challenge they should be equipped with skills, attitude and knowledge to make them effective agents of change and transformation,” said the Provost.
Meanwhile, Madoka said the organisation is looking at expanding its membership base through the establishment of district councils across the country.
Madoka remarked that by extending their services to the grassroots level they hope to reach out and assist training community members up to the village level to deal with calamities effectively.
He was speaking at the St John’s ceremony where warrants of appointment and certificates of recognition were issued to members who excelled in various services offered during the post election chaos.
St John’s Ambulance set up 255 medical camps with 387 volunteers. They managed to treat 45,000 people and transported others to major medical facilities during the post election violence period.
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