Gen Badi calls for more oxygen supply to boost fight against Covid-19

Nairobi Metropolitan Services director General Mohammed Badi (pictured) has said most lower-level facilities lack oxygen supply and personnel to operate the equipment.

He was speaking at the MP Shah Hospital, which launched an oxygen plant that produces 500 litres of oxygen per minute.

Gen Badi said Covid-19 has strained health systems, with hospitals overwhelmed by the high number of Covid patients.

He said Nairobi county, especially, has had to deal with Intensive Care Unit beds' unavailability and low oxygen supply for critically ill patients.

“During this pandemic, patients' demand for oxygen has increased from an average of two to five litres per minute to 60 litres per minute,” Gen Badi added.

He lauded MP Shah Hospital, which he said has helped alleviate the oxygen supply shortage being experienced countrywide.

“Nairobi has only one oxygen plant against a high daily oxygen consumption.”

Mbagathi and Mama Lucy hospitals consume almost 80 cylinders of oxygen daily.

NMS has expanded the Covid-19 bed capacity at Mbagathi Hospital to 220 beds with works ongoing at Mama Lucy Hospital to establish a 26-bed ICU facility.