Patients in most health facilities across Uasin Gishu County will now be able to receive oxygen directly from their beds.
On Thursday, Chief Officer Clinical Services Dr Joyce Sang led other senior County health officials to receive a consignment of oxygen piping facilities donated by AMREF.
“This equipment will help set up oxygen facilities at Kipsigak, Sambut, Kiplombe, Elgeyo Border, and Katuyo Health facilities. Governor Dr Bii’s administration has set aside a budget of about Ksh 100 million for the establishment of an oxygen plant which will be constructed soon to make oxygen available and affordable in all our facilities,” Dr Sang noted.
The Chief Officer said that the County has four functional piped oxygen facilities and efforts to install the equipment in the other facilities are at an advanced stage.
“Our main agenda is to reduce congestion in major hospitals and to improve services across all the community, level one and two hospitals.”
She adds: “This initiative will help in solving challenges like the most recently experienced COVID-19 pandemic, patients requiring oxygen urgently in facilities at the Ward level, will be managed easily without necessarily being referred. We are expecting to receive consignments for Moi’s Bridge and Soy health facilities.”
Increased budget for the health sector
To boost health services, she adds, Governor Dr Jonathan Bii’s administration has increased the money allocated for drugs from Ksh 212 million to Ksh 400 million in the 2024/2025 budget.
The CO further stated that the County will increase the number of health staff.
“The initiative, including plans to employ more health officers and completion of ongoing projects in Ziwa and Burnt Forest Health facilities will help in achieving the Governor’s Nguzo Kumi agenda on quality health care for residents.”
The Chief Officer was accompanied by the Director of Health Services, Dr Evans Kiprotich, and the Biomedical Engineer, Mr Moses Chumba, among other health personnel from the Department of Health.
