Oxygen has become one of the most essential elements in treating the deadly corona virus especially those in advanced stages.
Following the spike in covid 19 infections in the Greater Masaka region, the relevant authorities have moved a step further in trying to minimize the situation.
The hospital has so far lost 16 covid 19 patients due to lack of oxygen yet it continues to receive an overwhelming number of covid 19 patients.
Its from this that the hospital has moved a step further to manufacturing its own oxygen to save patients from covid 19.
Edward Kabuye the Principal administrator of Masaka Hospital explained that they had been facing some challenges in regards to oxygen supply.
“It’s true we have been having some challenges with oxygen supply. We have an oxygen plant which had broken down and it has been down for about three months. We had to fly in a spare one from Turkey. It has been fixed and we have been supplying other health facilities within this region.” Kabuye said.
He added that they had been transporting oxygen from Kampala before repairing it. This was however costly and time consuming which put people’s lives at risk. He further said they that had to ship in 40 litres daily from the capital.
He however said this was a problem solved now since they were in position to produce their own oxygen adding that they supply other health facilities in the region.
Kabuye said that they manufacture thirty oxygen cylinders on a daily.
Masaka Hospital is not the first to start manufacturing oxygen in the wake of the second wave of the covid 19 pandemic.
The UPDF last week also started manufacturing oxygen in Luweero to help on it’s scarcity in hospitals.
