Mwingi gets Sh 27m oxygen unit from USAID
Kitui Governor Dr. Julius Malombe today received the medical oxygen generating plant at Mwingi Level IV Hospital during the handing over and commissioning ceremony graced by the USAID Kenya East Africa Deputy Mission Director Bert Ubamadu.
In his speech, Governor Malombe commmended the USAID for the Oxygen Generating Plant worth $200,000 (27.7 million) and the development partners JHPIEGO and Chemonics International for their efforts in implementing the project.
According to the Governor, the project will save the Mwingi Level IV facility at least sh. 3.6 million monthly incurred in sourcing the oxygen cylinders from Nairobi as it has been the trend for many years of operation.
The plant, he says, is expected to increase efficiency of the two operating surgical theatres and Newborn Unit (NBU) which admits over 100 babies monthly.
The county chief noted that the facility was facelifted during his tenure as the pioneer Governor (2013-2017) through construction of new outpatient block, surgical (23 beds) and maternity (47 beds).
The Governor further restated his administration's commitment to improving and sustaining the joint partnership engagements for the betterment of Kitui residents.
Governor Malombe committed to elevate Mwingi Level IV Hospital to a teaching and referral hospital (Level 5 status) by constructing an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), operationalizing the Renal Unit to spur healthcare services and continuous supply of drugs, building a female ward (Mother-Child Centre), equipping the surgical/amenity ward, completing the mortuary, completing construction of the stone wall to improve security and digitization of hospital operations by installing a hospital management information system (HMIS) as anchored in the Kitui County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) 2023-2027 and Kitui Vision for Economic and Social Transformation (KIVEST) 2022-2032.
The USAID Africa Deputy Mission Director Bert Ubamadu called on the health facility to take care of the plant to guarantee maximum benefits and years of service.
Oxygen from the plant will also be distributed to other facilities across the county to improve access to medical oxygen and save lives.
Kitui is among the 5 counties that have benefited from this program keen to eliminate acute oxygen shortage in the country.
The event was also attended by County Assembly of Kitui Ward representatives among other stakeholders.
