Emergency Ambulance Numbers in Kenya: 999, 112, Red Cross, St John and AMREF

Updated 18 October 2026

In a medical emergency in Kenya, call 999 or 112, the national emergency numbers, free from any phone. For an ambulance directly, the main 24-hour lines are E-Plus (Kenya Red Cross) on toll-free 1514 or 0700 395 395, St John Ambulance on 0721 225 285, and, for air evacuation, AMREF Flying Doctors on +254 20 699 2299. We took every number below from the official source named next to it and checked them on 18 October 2026. Save them in your phone now, not when you need them.

Emergency and Ambulance Numbers in Kenya

999 and 112: The National Emergency Numbers

The Communications Authority of Kenya’s numbering plan lists 999 and 112 as the national emergency numbers, run by the Kenya Police and available on all networks. Use them for any emergency: a crime, a road accident, a fire or a medical emergency where you do not know who else to call. Calls to the emergency numbers are free. The operator can send police and alert rescue services.

The same plan reserves 114 for fire and ambulance emergency response by national and county governments, and records it as implemented by the County Government of Machakos. Outside Machakos it may not connect to an ambulance, so use 999, 112 or a private ambulance line elsewhere.

E-Plus (Kenya Red Cross)

Emergency Plus Medical Services, known as E-Plus, is a private company fully owned by the Kenya Red Cross Society. It provides advanced pre-hospital care and ambulance services across Kenya, open 24 hours. Its emergency numbers are the toll-free short code 1514, 0700 395 395 and 0738 395 395. Its base is on Red Cross Road, off Popo Road, near Mombasa Road in Nairobi, and its office lines are 0717 714 938 and 0111 291 000. E-Plus also sells family evacuation cover, which pays for ambulance trips for members of a plan.

St John Ambulance Kenya

St John Ambulance runs a 24-hour ambulance hotline on 0721 225 285, and lists 0721 611 555 for active emergencies and booking ambulance transport. Its head office is St John House, St John Lane, off Parliament Road, Nairobi. It also lists regional offices: Mombasa 0706 777 077, Embu 0786 214 331, Nyeri 0724 418 811, Nakuru 0721 355 773, Kisumu 0723 956 849 and Kakamega 0718 189 871. For a real emergency, St John says to use the national hotline rather than wait for a regional office.

AMREF Flying Doctors (Air Ambulance)

For a patient who needs to be flown to hospital, from a remote area or from another country, AMREF Flying Doctors lists its emergency number as +254 20 699 2299. Its contact page also gives +254 20 699 2222, +254 730 811 811 and +254 709 962 811 as emergency lines, plus emergency@flydoc.org. Its base is at Wilson Airport in Nairobi. Air evacuation is expensive unless you have cover, so ask about its membership plans before you travel.

What to Say When You Call

1. Where you are. Give the county, town, road and a landmark. Share your location by WhatsApp or SMS if the operator asks.
2. What happened and how many people are hurt.
3. The patient’s condition. Are they awake and breathing? Is there heavy bleeding?
4. A phone number that will stay on so the crew can call you back.

Stay on the line until the operator tells you to hang up, and do not move someone with a possible neck or back injury unless they are in danger.

Who Pays for the Ambulance?

Private ambulance services charge for each trip unless you have a membership or insurance cover. The Social Health Authority’s benefits list, published by the Ministry of Health, includes road rescue services and accident and emergency services. Ask the ambulance provider whether it is contracted by SHA and what you will pay. Check that your SHA registration is active, and find a contracted hospital with our SHA hospital finder. For help with an SHA problem, call the free SHA 147 hotline.

Keep These Ready

• Save 999, 112, 1514 and 0721 225 285 under “ICE” (in case of emergency) on every phone in your home.
• Write them on a card in your car and on the fridge for children and house help.
• Keep a basic first aid kit, and consider a St John or Red Cross first aid course.

Frequently asked questions

What is the emergency number in Kenya?

999 or 112. Both are national emergency numbers run by the Kenya Police and are free on all networks.

What is the Red Cross ambulance number?

The Kenya Red Cross ambulance service, E-Plus, is on toll-free 1514, 0700 395 395 and 0738 395 395.

What is the St John Ambulance number?

0721 225 285 for its 24-hour ambulance, and 0721 611 555.

How do I call an air ambulance in Kenya?

Call AMREF Flying Doctors on +254 20 699 2299.