Referral hospital launches Sh83m oxygen, gas project

The Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) has commissioned an oxygen and gas piping project, which is valued at approximately Sh83 million.

The hospital director, John Kibosia, said the project will ensure the institution has uninterrupted supply of oxygen and other medical gases. “This will also save the institution a lot of money that would have otherwise gone into purchasing the same,” he said.  

The contractor for the piping of oxygen and other medical gases, Onsite Gas Systems International, completed the project last month.

Dr Kibosia said the hospital is committed to providing excellent healthcare, training and research services. NHIF supported the Oxygen and Gas Piping Project in collaboration with Indiana University.

He also disclosed that the hospital has earmarked Sh1 billion for setting up a cancer and chronic disease centre and Sh90 million for the construction of modern mental health ward. Between Sh400 million and Sh600 million will be used for equipping the centre while the rest will be used in the facility.

Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the centre, Dr Kibosia said the centre will help the increasing number of patients in the region who are suffering from cancer and other chronic diseases.

“The complex, once operational, it will help alleviate the suffering of the patients in this region who have been affected by increase of non-communicable diseases such as cancer,” said Dr Kibosia.

He also disclosed that the hospital in partnership with Dutch agency, have plans to expand the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) from the current six-bed to a 20-bed facility.

“Plans are also underway to upgrade the Cardiac ICU to six beds,” said Dr Kibosia adding that the hospital will also be re-designing the accident and emergency unit.

He disclosed that the ground breaking for the 60-bed Shoe 4 Africa Children hospital will be done at the end of the year.  

He said cancer is a global health problem and accounts for one in eight deaths worldwide, outpacing Aids, tuberculosis, and malaria combined. 

Dr Kibosia said in the next 10 to 15 years, according to World Health Organisation (WHO), the incidence of new cancers will rise to 15 million cases annually, 75 per cent in developing countries.

He lamented the country has only four radiation oncologists, six medical oncologists, four paediatric oncologists and no trained surgical oncologists with  MTRH having two doctors who are currently undergoing training in Medical Oncology, one in Alexandria University, Egypt and the other in Stellensbosch University, South Africa.