Kisumu county to expand oxygen plant in Covid war
By Noven Owiti, September 7, 2021
The Kisumu county government will expand its oxygen production in a bid to boost the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o announced said are underway to increase the capacity of oxygen generation from the recently installed oxygen plant at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) to serve the entire county.
Nyong’o said the plant, which currently produces 600 litres of oxygen per minute, will be expanded to produce an additional 100 cylinders of oxygen per day to be distributed at various health facilities across the seven sub-counties.
Insufficient oxygen
The move, he said is geared towards ensuring sufficiency of oxygen supply in the county hospitals to enable combat Covid-19 and other related ailments.
“I wish to report that the oxygen plant will not only supply Jaramogi hospital but will be expanded to start producing extra cylinders of oxygen per day for the sub-county hospitals and thereby devolve oxygen supply.
Going forward, in a matter of weeks the entire county will be oxygen sufficient to help us effectively tackle Covid-19 and other interrelated diseases,” Nyong’o said.
The governor, while speaking when he officiated the launch of the county assembly second strategic plan, said his administration is undertaking the construction of an ultra-modern comprehensive cancer management centre project at the Jaramogi Hospital, which aims at easing the burden of cancer management.
He said the ongoing project once complete is expected to handle all cancer cases including preventive treatment and palliative care services.