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The initiative focuses on strengthening oxygen systems in the five counties of Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, Vihiga and Trans Nzoia where the need is great.<\/p>\n
Along with each installation of the oxygen plant, Oxygen & Allied provides other logistical solutions in healthcare.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to expand our services across the Western region and beyond as we train more biomedical engineers and technicians on how to use and maintain the equipment so that we prevent hospitals, particularly, from overcrowding with patients who require oxygen,\u201d said Ms Makomere.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will save the lives of thousands of people who continue to suffer the consequences of the coronavirus and other respiratory diseases,” she added.<\/p>\n
The plant has the capacity to produce 850 oxygen cylinders per day, strengthening the\u00a0 response not only to COVID-19 but to other respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia and tuberculosis.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a workforce of 10 people who will directly be hired since the machine is semi-automated but it will offer opportunities alongside other services of delivery, maintenance, ICT, Human Resource among others. It will also push private hospitals to employ people to administer and maintain oxygen supply. All those who require oxygen will be able to access it from hospitalisation or from home oxygen therapy services,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Dr Dennis Miskellah, the deputy secretary general of Kenya Medical and Dentists, Pharmaceutical Union (KMDPU) said the public-private partnership was the best way in strengthening and scaling Covid-19 response in the country.<\/p>\n
According to Dr Miskellah, almost half of healthcare services in the country are delivered through private sector providers which are often underused in national public health responses.<\/p>\n
He called for the public\u2013private cooperation approach in the provision of essential services in relation to healthcare, energy, water, and emergency services to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 whose trends are emerging differently.<\/p>\n
“Governments both the national and the counties failed in the supply of oxygen due to big appetite in the procurement process. We hope they won’t frustrate private entrepreneurs who are coming up with such initiatives to save lives,” said Dr Miskellah.<\/p>\n
Ends…<\/p>\n
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By Shaban Makokha, Kakamega As Covid-19 cases surged across the world in 2021, many people had no choice but to stand in line for hours in hospitals even as they or their loved ones struggled to breathe. They were not lining up for masks, tests, or sanitisers but they needed oxygen \u2013 a lifesaving […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4106,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health"],"yoast_head":"\n