A new state-of-the-art oxygen manufacturing plant installed at the Kerugoya County Referral Hospital is transforming critical care outcomes for patients in Kirinyaga and saving tax payers millions of shillings previously used to procure the commodity externally.
The on-site oxygen plant has not only helped in saving lives but also changed hospital operations by transitioning them from dependence on erratic external cylinder deliveries to becoming self-sufficient.
The initiative by Governor Anne Waiguru has ensured uninterrupted 24 hour supply of medical-grade oxygen for critical care, emergency surgeries, and respiratory therapies, enhancing overall efficiency at the referral hospital as well as the other public health facilities in the county.
The county government is currently saving about Ksh. 15 million annually, money that would previously have been spent on outsourced oxygen supplies.
Since its operationalization four years ago, the plant has cumulatively saved the county more than Ksh. 80 million, freeing up resources for further investment in healthcare services.
The oxygen plant is part of Governor Waiguru’s broader strategy to strengthen health infrastructure and service delivery across Kirinyaga County, which has also seen to the upgrading of Kianyaga, Kimbimbi and Sagana hospitals from level 3 to level 4 facilities further decentralizing services from the county referral hospital, bringing them closer to the community.
“Today, the modern five-storey complex serves as the county’s main referral hospital, attending to an average of 600 outpatients and 400 inpatients, many of whom require oxygen support for surgery, emergency care and neonatal services.” Said Waiguru, noting that the mega oxygen plant now ensures uninterrupted supply of lifesaving oxygen at the referral hospital and across all other public health facilities in the county.
Speaking during a routine inspection of the facility, County Director of Medical Services Dr. Esbon Gakuo said the plant has the capacity to generate up to 1,000 litres of pure medical-grade oxygen every 24 hours, at a purity level of 95 per cent, which meets international medical standards.
Dr. Gakuo explained that oxygen is piped directly from the plant to every bed in the referral hospital including the operating theatres, the general wards, the casualty area and the Newborn Unit among others, eliminating the earlier reliance on oxygen cylinders that were inconvenient and posed safety risks during transportation.
“With a reliable in-house source of oxygen, the county no longer needs to refer patients to other facilities due to shortages, as was the case when we depended on external suppliers,” said Dr Gakuo.
Apart from ensuring timely access for patients requiring oxygen, the facility has significantly reduced operational costs.
“Since we installed this medical oxygen manufacturing plant, the county government has been saving almost Ksh. 15 million every financial year. This money has now been redirected to other priority areas to further improve health services within the county,” Dr Gakuo said.
The plant has ensured uninterrupted oxygen supply to critical departments including general wards, operating theatres and the Newborn Unit, where oxygen is essential for survival.
In addition to oxygen, the facility also produces other medical gases and medical air used to operate critical equipment in theatres, including anesthesia and aspiration machines.
To enhance sustainability and continuity of supply, Gakuo said that the county is in the process of installing a 6,000-litre liquid oxygen storage tank at the hospital. Once completed, the tank will act as a backup during routine maintenance or power outages and will be able to meet the county’s oxygen needs for up to two weeks.
Biomedical Engineer Lizbeth Muchiri, who oversees the production and maintenance of the oxygen plant, emphasized its lifesaving impact.
“Oxygen is a drug, and we are proud to offer these services to our patients. Over time, we have supplied about 40 million litres of oxygen, saving countless lives,” she said.
She explained that the plant comprises an air compressor, a dryer and an oxygen generator, where all other components of air are removed to remain with pure oxygen suitable for medical use.
Governor Waiguru pointed out that the county has also expanded access to primary healthcare, increasing operational public health facilities from 65 in 2017 to 77 today, with 12 newly built centres already operational and eight more lined up for commissioning, which will raise the total to 85 facilities.
“These investments have reduced travel time and healthcare-related costs for residents by up to 40 per cent and led to improved health outcomes. Antenatal coverage has increased from 45 to 63 per cent, maternal mortality has declined from 88 to 55 deaths per 100,000 live births, and neonatal mortality has dropped from 26 to 10 deaths per 1,000 live births,” she emphasized.
She added that in order to support the expanded infrastructure, the county has recruited over 150 health workers since 2017, including specialists, enabling the county to offer specialized services such as oncology, neurology, orthopedics, urology and epidemiology, sparing residents the cost and risk of seeking care outside Kirinyaga.
The county has also digitized health services, with Kerugoya County Referral Hospital going fully paperless for outpatient services while all other health facilities are equipped with Electronic Health Information Systems integrated with SHA, improving efficiency, accountability and reimbursement tracking.
Dr. Gakuo urged residents to utilize the improved services at Kerugoya Level Five Hospital and other public health facilities across the county, noting that residents who are fully paid-up members of the Social Health Authority (SHA) do not need to pay out of pocket for inpatient services.
