Mulago to build oxygen plant

Dec 31, 2011

Mulago hospital will set up an oxygen plant this financial year to cut costs on importing oxygen from Kenya.

By Agnes Nantambi and Violet Nabatanzi

Mulago hospital will set up an oxygen plant this financial year, the Executive Director, Dr. Baterana Byarugaba has said. Addressing MPs on the national economy committee, Byarugaba said they would use part of the sh18b hospital budget to set up the plant.

“We must avoid importation of oxygen from Kenya because it is expensive,” he said. Currently the hospital spends over sh700m annually on oxygen. 

“By spending sh4.5b on this plant, we would have enough oxygen in Mulago for over thirteen years and we would also provide oxygen to other hospitals,” he explained.

Loan approval

The assistant commissioner for services at the national referral hospital, David Nuwamanya appealed to Members of Parliament to approve the hospital loan of $88m from the African Development Bank (ADB) and Nigerian Trust Fund, saying the request had already reached the parliamentary committee on the national economy, for scrutiny.

Nuwamanya said if the loan is passed, it would be used to renovate the hospital, improve capacity and improve the referral system by decongesting Mulago.

“We want to remodel Mulago so that the services offered are comfortable for patients. We also want to improve Kiruddu and Kawempe hospitals such that they are at a level of referral hospitals,” the commissioner observed.

 

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