The management of Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) is under pressure to explain why it spends KSh600 million annually on procuring oxgen, yet it has a KSh453 million oxygen plan that lies idle.
The National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Health raised these concerns of monumental service gaps after a fact-finding mission at the largest referral hospital in East and Central Africa.
Led by Seme MP Dr. James Nyikal, the Committee toured key departments of the hospital, questioning the facility’s officials why the installed oxygen plant has never been operational.
“This oxygen plant is actually a major issue. It is not operational. It is not functional, and it is not producing any oxygen. The truth is, KNH does not have an oxygen plant,” Nyikal said during the fact-finding visit.
According to KNH’s Medical Engineer Patrick Chepkonga, the plant supplied to the facility did not meet the original design and specifications. While the plant was originally supposed to produce 8,000 litres of oxygen per minute, what was delivered was found to be generating 3,000 litres.
To make matters worse, Eng. Chepkonga told the MPs that the oxygen purity levels produced did not meet the required standards.
“Although KNH developed the required design, the equipment delivered differed from what had been specified,” he said.
KNH Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Richard Lesiyampe explained that the hospital serves about 700 patients who require oxygen support on a daily basis.
“We are procuring that oxygen for our patients. Occasionally, we also get oxygen from our sister institutions such as KU Teaching and Referral Hospital and Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital. Therefore, we do not have shortages of oxygen.”
Dr Leyisampe added: “What is very important is that we need to have our own oxygen plant, and I think the committee will assist us in that direction.”
The MPs questioned the procurement process behind the tendering andpayment of the plant. Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge seeking clarity on whether the contractor was paid.
The Committee pledged to pursue the matter with the Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies.
