Govt says started oxygen installation in health facilities

The health ministry says it has started installing new oxygen systems in health centre IVs (HCIVs) and general hospitals across the country.

The move, the ministry says, follows renewed warnings from experts that unreliable supply and weak maintenance systems continue to put patients at risk.

The rollout comes days after a high-level meeting between the ministry and the FREO2 Foundation at the Golden Tulip Canaan Kampala, where officials acknowledged that despite improvements since COVID-19, access to functional oxygen remains uneven — especially at lower-level facilities.

According to ministry data shared at the meeting, oxygen cylinders increased from 7,801 during the peak of the pandemic to 8,995 in major referral hospitals. When HCIVs are included, the number rises to over 15,000 nationwide.

However, officials admitted that higher numbers do not automatically translate into reliable access. Lack of oxygen remains one of the leading contributors to preventable deaths among newborns, particularly in rural health facilities.

Health experts within the ministry say limited maintenance budgets, scarce spare parts and unstable electricity continue to affect service delivery. As a result, patients with severe pneumonia, COVID-19 complications, obstetric emergencies and neonatal distress are still being referred to higher facilities—in some cases, too late.

During the meeting, Eng. Owen Muhimbise from the Ministry’s Oxygen Management Committee warned that without investing in Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) plants and spare-parts hubs, equipment breakdowns will persist.

“We need to install PSA plants and oxygen concentrator spare parts hubs to reduce equipment loss,” he said.

While regional referral hospitals benefitted from large oxygen plants during the pandemic, Health Centre IVs and general hospitals, often the first referral points in rural districts, have lagged. Many depend on oxygen cylinders that are expensive to refill and difficult to transport, especially during rainy seasons.

Dr Miriam Ajambo of the National Oxygen Programme said the current installation phase is targeting these primary healthcare facilities, where preventable deaths from hypoxaemia remain high.

“When we talk about primary healthcare, we’re referring to Health Centre IVs and general hospitals. These facilities have benefited from smaller oxygen systems, not the large PSA plants. These smaller systems generate low-flow oxygen and have made a real difference in neonatal and paediatric care,” she said.

The new systems are being deployed under an “Oxygen as a Service” model implemented in partnership with the FREO2 Foundation. The approach combines oxygen concentrators as the primary source with a cylinder backup that automatically activates during power outages.

Eng. Hilda Bugingo, who demonstrated the system during the Kampala workshop, said the dual-source setup is meant to prevent treatment interruptions.

“The system has two main oxygen sources: oxygen concentrators as the primary source and a cylinder as a backup. If the power goes off, the cylinder automatically takes over,” she explained.

Some facilities have also been equipped with solar backup and remote monitoring technology. According to foundation officials, 98 oxygen systems have been installed across 79 facilities, with 35 connected to remote monitoring and 22 supported by solar infrastructure.

Health officials report that facilities such as Serere, Atutur and Tororo have recorded reductions in oxygen-related referrals since the installations began, easing pressure on regional hospitals.

Still, stakeholders cautioned that the long-term success of Uganda’s oxygen strategy will depend less on installations and more on sustained financing and maintenance.

The Ministry’s National Implementation Plan for Medical Oxygen Scale-up (2023/24–2027/28) outlines targets for infrastructure, training and supply chain reforms. But officials admit funding gaps remain.

Dr Bahizi Archbald Newton Sebahire, Director of Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital, urged the government to treat oxygen as an essential medicine rather than emergency equipment.