By Akpan David, Calabar
The Health Manager of UNICEF Nigeria, Mr Martin Dohlsten has explained that it is risky to establish oxygen plants in rural areas of Nigeria.
He spoke during a media dialogue on sick newborn and zero dose in Calabar after a media tour of one of the nine oxygen plants established by unicef at General hospital Calabar.
He said oxygen plants require experts to regularly attend to them, stating these experts are few.
He stated that establishing such plants is capital intensive.
“To reduce cost of oxygen and increase its availability in Nigerian hospitals, UNICEF has established nine more plants to complement those established by other organisations.
“A lot of expertise are needed to manage oxygen plants because they are risky, which reason they’re not established at Primary Healthcare Centres in local communities,” Dohlsten said.
He said due to high costs of oxygen plants, they advocate for it’s to be included in healthcare budgets and insurance programmes of state governments to make it more affordable for patients.
He disclosed they usually align with State governments to establish the plants and would usually hand over.
“All we do would later be to train the biomedical engineers to ensure the plants are optimally running. State governments are to take charge of their functionality.”
A medical superintendent and manager of an oxygen plant in the general hospital Calabar, Dr Kenneth Takim, praised UNICEF and other international support partners for citing the plant in Calabar
He claimed that they have effectively met the demands for oxygen in the state.
The plant said to be the biggest oxygen in the State, is one of the nine so far established in parts of the country by UNICEF.
Takim said that many hospitals in the state and beyond now resort to the plant instead of relying on supplies from distant states.
“This plant has helped to address the child morbidity, mortality and maternal healthcare significantly. The impact on the public cannot be over-emphasised.
“We have met the high demands for oxygen in and outside Cross River. The capacity of the plant is beyond 300 meters per unit. It is the biggest oxygen facility in the state. We no longer have shortage, or have need to travel to Rivers or other states for supplies,” he said.
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