The Ministry of Health launched the country's largest oxygen plant on Monday, August 30.
Stationed at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), the oxygen plant will have a capacity to produce over 2,000 litres of oxygen per minute.
Speaking at the launch, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe stated that the plant would be able to meet the rising demand for oxygen in the region.
"Since its processing capacity is high, that means it could produce 3.5 tonnes to 4 tonnes of oxygen per day," CS Kagwe added.
He noted that on a daily basis, approximately 700 people are put under oxygen support, and more lives would be lost due to the scarcity of the commodity.
Apart from the oxygen plant at MTRH, there are 20 other Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) plants producing 8,000 litres of oxygen per minute translating to 15 tonnes a day.
He lauded the efforts of the senior management team at MTRH for the quick response to the needs of the rising cases of critical care patients in dire need of oxygen, adding that the plant produced as much oxygen as the country in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic.
Kagwe disclosed that an additional 26 PSA plants under maintenance would be fully functional by 2022 in line with the Universal Health Coverage (UHC).The CS called for all hospitals - whether Level 3, 4, 5 - to have at least one oxygen plant.
"I call upon the county government that is yet to set up piped oxygen to do so as soon as possible so that we can operate more efficiently," he added.
The Health CS expressly requested the board and leadership of public hospitals to ensure prudent utilization of resources and exercise integrity at all times.
On July 7, Kakamega County Governor Wycliffe Oparanya pleaded with the National Treasury to intervene and solve a standoff between his county and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
This came after the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) declined to release an oxygen producing plant the county had acquired due to accrued taxes totaling Ksh8 million.
The machine, which had a capacity to produce 1,000 litres of oxygen per minute, had been seized after the individual contracted to acquire the oxygen plant was unable to pay the tax.
