Amref Health Africa has signed a Sh100 million deal with the Machakos government to supply the devolved unit with oxygen and oxygen infrastructure.
Amref representative Julius Tome said the project is funded by Global Fund. It is being implemented by Amref, which has contracted MedQuip Limited for the job.
He said the project is expected to start next month.
“We have come to partner with the county government of Machakos and all the 47 counties to provide oxygen services. We know that oxygen is important, we treat it as medicine,” Tome said.
He spoke on Wednesday during a meeting with Machakos government officials led by health executive Daniel Yumbya at Machakos Level 5 Hospital.
“Amref has partnered with MoH, national and county governments to ensure that oxygen gets to hospitals. We decided to work with the Kenyan government to ensure oxygen gets to hospitals,” Tome said.
He said the project’s implementation ought to have started in 2021 but it delayed due to unavoidable circumstances.
Tome said the project was in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said 400 public health facilities in the county will benefit from the support.
Twelve health facilities in Machakos will be piped and manifolded at an approximated cost of Sh91.4 million, Tome said.
The project components, he said, include the supply of oxygen in cylinders to the facilities and the supply of liquid oxygen to the facilities.
“Extras include installation of a 3,000-litre refillable oxygen tank at Machakos Level 5, the supply of 630 new oxygen cylinders to be distributed to health facilities in Machakos county, 27 oxygen splitters and 12 patient monitors,” Tome said.
The 12 health facilities which will benefit from oxygen piping and manifold include Muumandu Level 3, Mutituni Level 4, Sengani Level 3, Wamunyu Level 3, Kathiani Level 4, Kimiti Level 4, Masinga Level 4, Matuu Level 4, Ekalakala Level 3, Mbiuni Level 3, Bishop Kioko Level 4 and Katangi Level 3 hospitals.
“Our Governor Wavinya Ndeti through CoG negotiated for this support. I assure you that our technical team and staff are available to support this project,” Yumbya said.
