JOOTRH installs new oxygen plant to bolster critical care services

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital has significantly enhanced its oxygen supply capacity following the installation of a state-of-the-art 20,000-litre cryogenic liquid oxygen plant.

The new plant, installed by Gatewell Solutions, was officially handed over to the hospital management on Wednesday after successful technical trials and staff training, marking a major milestone in its transition to a Level 6A national referral hospital.

JOOTRH CEO Joshua Okise described the installation as a major step towards self-sufficiency in the production and management of medical oxygen.

He said that at the heart of the system is a 20,000-litre cryogenic tank that stores oxygen in liquid form before it is converted into gas and distributed through the hospital’s central pipeline network.

This, he said, would guarantee uninterrupted supply of oxygen to critical care units and general wards as the hospital continues to expand specialised services.

Okise said with the addition of the new plant, JOOTRH now operates multiple oxygen sources, including the newly installed 20,000-litre tank, an existing pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plant, an automated manifold cylinder system and a secondary BOC tank.

The layered system was set to significantly reduce the risk of oxygen shortages at the referral facility, he added.

Okise said the enhanced oxygen capacity would not only improve critical care services at the facility but also strengthen referral support for counties within the Lake Region Economic Bloc, where JOOTRH serves as the apex referral centre.

A section of the new plant.

The project’s lead engineer Joseph Wananga said the new system delivers medical oxygen at 99.9 per cent purity, a significant improvement from standard PSA plants that typically provide oxygen at 93 per cent purity.

“This tank will act as the primary supply for the entire facility. The oxygen is stored in liquid form and passed through a vaporiser to convert it back into gas before being released into the main pipeline for wards and ICU levels,” he said.

To safeguard patients against supply disruptions, the installation includes a fully automated 10x2 manifold backup system holding 20 cylinders, he explained.

He added that the backup system is designed to trigger automatically when liquid levels in the main tank drop, ensuring seamless continuity of oxygen flow, particularly for patients in intensive care and emergency units.

The project was initiated under the Covid-19 Health Emergency Response Project, a Ministry of Health programme funded by the World Bank to strengthen healthcare infrastructure across the country.

Although the hospital will assume full responsibility for daily management and refilling of the plant, the contractor has provided a one-year warranty.

JOOTRH engineers have already undergone specialised training and certification to handle routine maintenance and minor technical issues to ensure the plant runs round the clock.

The development comes as JOOTRH continues to roll out infrastructure and service upgrades following its elevation from a county referral facility to a national Level 6A teaching and referral hospital.