The oxygen plant at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) has resumed operations, after being non- functional for a couple of years. The hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Wilson Aruasa is quoted saying the oxygen plant had no fault but was just shut down after facing legal issues with the On-site Gas Company from South Africa that was servicing the plant.
The plant roared back to life on 2nd January, 2018. The plant was assembled by On-site Gas Company from South Africa and was commissioned by the then Minister for Medical Services, Prof. Peter Anyang Nyong’o, on 30th April, 2008 at a cost of Sh83 million.
The resumption of operations means that the oxygen plant will be able to supply oxygen, through the piping system- which is already in place, to all the wards in the hospital. Theatre, New Born Unit (NBU) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) are served by liquid oxygen from the oxygen tank.
The pipelines are used to supply highly concentrated oxygen to intermediate cylinders placed at various locations. These cylinders would be transported to end-users. The system would help the hospital save significant amount of money every month, said Aruasa.
The teaching and referral hospital has been spending millions yearly on oxygen bought from outside to save lives because its oxygen production plant was shut down. Further, it will also improve on convenience and stability of the oxygen supply in the hospital.
Majority of county hospitals in Kenya buy or filter their own oxygen because it’s expensive to set up a plant. Many of the most vulnerable patients in low- and middle-income countries— including newborns, children, and pregnant women—do not receive the oxygen therapy that could save their lives.
Medical oxygen is used to aid breathing for patients with respiratory challenges, especially in theatre, obstetrics, and intensive care units. It is also used to treat ailments like pneumonia. At the global level, in 2012 WHO, the United Nations Population Fund, and the United Nations Children’s Fund included oxygen as one of the 20 most effective interventions for preventing deaths among newborns, children, and pregnant women in their “Priority life- saving medicines for women and children” list.
In addition, WHO has published recommendations and guidelines for integrating oxygen delivery at various levels of the health system. MTRH tendered for servicing of the plant last year (August 2017). Atlas Copco, an international firm dealing with innovative sustainable solutions that create value for customers in more than 180 countries, won the tender.
The company has expertise in compressors, vacuum solutions and air treatment systems, construction and mining equipment, power tools and assembly systems. The MTRH is recognized as a referral hospital serving the residents of upper Rift Valley and Western parts of Kenya; it has been reclassified by the Ministry of Health as a Level 6 referral hospital.
A spot check by Health Business Magazine indicated that the hospital has been experiencing increase in patient numbers in the recent past and in order to sustain the increase, several expansion activities such as new facilities should be put up. Meanwhile, the hospital has adopted a Sh100 million new modern clinical waste management technology that uses microwaving to sterilize medical waste.
MTRH is the first Hospital to install 250 AMB Ecosteryl Microwave Clinical Waste Management equipment in East and Central Africa. The new technology will improve the efficiency of clinical waste management that is in line with global best available technologies and best environmental practices.
The Microwave Clinical Waste Management Plant Project is a Belgium Government funded project through the Ministry of Health. The adoption of the new technology will not only improve the management of clinical waste in the hospital but will also support waste management from other medical facilities in Eldoret.
The oxygen plant at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) has resumed operations, after being non- functional for a couple of years. The hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Wilson Aruasa is quoted saying the oxygen plant had no fault but was just shut down after facing legal issues with the On-site Gas Company from South Africa that was servicing the plant.
The plant roared back to life on 2nd January, 2018. The plant was assembled by On-site Gas Company from South Africa and was commissioned by the then Minister for Medical Services, Prof. Peter Anyang Nyong’o, on 30th April, 2008 at a cost of Sh83 million.
The resumption of operations means that the oxygen plant will be able to supply oxygen, through the piping system- which is already in place, to all the wards in the hospital. Theatre, New Born Unit (NBU) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) are served by liquid oxygen from the oxygen tank.
The pipelines are used to supply highly concentrated oxygen to intermediate cylinders placed at various locations. These cylinders would be transported to end-users. The system would help the hospital save significant amount of money every month, said Aruasa.
The teaching and referral hospital has been spending millions yearly on oxygen bought from outside to save lives because its oxygen production plant was shut down. Further, it will also improve on convenience and stability of the oxygen supply in the hospital.
Majority of county hospitals in Kenya buy or filter their own oxygen because it’s expensive to set up a plant. Many of the most vulnerable patients in low- and middle-income countries— including newborns, children, and pregnant women—do not receive the oxygen therapy that could save their lives.
Medical oxygen is used to aid breathing for patients with respiratory challenges, especially in theatre, obstetrics, and intensive care units. It is also used to treat ailments like pneumonia. At the global level, in 2012 WHO, the United Nations Population Fund, and the United Nations Children’s Fund included oxygen as one of the 20 most effective interventions for preventing deaths among newborns, children, and pregnant women in their “Priority life- saving medicines for women and children” list.
In addition, WHO has published recommendations and guidelines for integrating oxygen delivery at various levels of the health system. MTRH tendered for servicing of the plant last year (August 2017). Atlas Copco, an international firm dealing with innovative sustainable solutions that create value for customers in more than 180 countries, won the tender.
The company has expertise in compressors, vacuum solutions and air treatment systems, construction and mining equipment, power tools and assembly systems. The MTRH is recognized as a referral hospital serving the residents of upper Rift Valley and Western parts of Kenya; it has been reclassified by the Ministry of Health as a Level 6 referral hospital.
A spot check by Health Business Magazine indicated that the hospital has been experiencing increase in patient numbers in the recent past and in order to sustain the increase, several expansion activities such as new facilities should be put up. Meanwhile, the hospital has adopted a Sh100 million new modern clinical waste management technology that uses microwaving to sterilize medical waste.
MTRH is the first Hospital to install 250 AMB Ecosteryl Microwave Clinical Waste Management equipment in East and Central Africa. The new technology will improve the efficiency of clinical waste management that is in line with global best available technologies and best environmental practices.
The Microwave Clinical Waste Management Plant Project is a Belgium Government funded project through the Ministry of Health. The adoption of the new technology will not only improve the management of clinical waste in the hospital but will also support waste management from other medical facilities in Eldoret.
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