• The facility serves more than 10 counties in western Kenya with a population of over five million people.
• The hospital will in June commission a Sh50 million oxygen manufacturing plant.
Image: Dickens Wasonga.
All elective surgeries at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital have been suspended due to an acute shortage of oxygen.
The referral hospital serves more than 10 counties in western Kenya with a population of over five million people.
The hospital requires 6,000 litres of oxygen per week.
In a memo seen by the Star, the hospital's director of clinical services wrote, "Dear team, we have a serious shortage of oxygen and the consumption in Covid-19 isolation ward is going up."
"All elective surgeries are suspended with immediate effect until the oxygen issue is stabilised," the memo issued last week by Dr Dedan Ongonga reads.
He directed all departments to inform their officers about the shortage. They were requested to help identify leakage and misuse of oxygen in their units.
On Monday, the hospital's chief executive officer George Rae confirmed there was a shortage of oxygen at the facility.
He said the memo was put out last week after the oxygen supplier, BOC, indicated it would be unable to meet supply demand.
"BOC was unable to supply for a few days, so there was a relative shortage. We had to turn to alternative measures but before that, we had oxygen. We have been having oxygen," Rae said.
"The shortage was affecting the whole country. The demand for oxygen went up following Covid-19 infections upsurge."
Rae said that apart from the supply from BOC, the hospital also produces oxygen in small quantities. "We have some production but just for ICU and casualty."
"We currently have five Covid-19 patients who require oxygen. But other cases that also require oxygen include life-saving operations, victims of road accidents, chest infections, head injuries, among others," he said.
The hospital will in June commission a Sh50 million oxygen manufacturing plant.
The plant will produce 500 litres of liquid oxygen per minute, according to Rae.
“It will help us save lives, especially those suffering from Covid-19. We will produce enough for our needs and even sell surplus to other counties,” Rae said.
He said engineers were on site and that the plant would be commissioned by Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o.
The oxygen plant is one of the major projects being undertaken by the county government as part of the ongoing transformation of the referral facility.
JOOTRH provides curative, preventive, promotive and rehabilitative health services. It also offers specialised clinical services in various disciplines.
The hospital serves as a centre for research activities and training for medical students and health workers.
It has 880 staff members comprising 492 regular staff, 107 from partners, 140 casual/contract, 141 outsourced services.
The hospital receives an average of Sh330 million annually from the government and a further Sh200 million is generated through the Facility Improvement Fund (FIF).
This is against a budget of Sh800 million, resulting in an annual deficit of Sh270 million.
Edited by A.N