Covid-19: Counties in dire need of oxygen to save patients

Prof Kutima said while patients were currently getting oxygen, the numbers have overwhelmed the capacity produced by the two oxygen production plants in the county.

“The current machines are pumping the gas directly to the patients and we cannot sustain any new admissions who require oxygen. If we add another patient, the machine trips. But this does not mean that we have asked any patient to bring a cylinder,” he said.

Hospital cylinders empty

Sources within the hospital told the Nation the cylinders at the hospital were empty and patients coming in for admission were being asked to get their own to supplement the biting shortage.

Our highly placed sources who requested not to be named for fear of victimisation said last week, six families were asked to bring oxygen cylinders while admitting their loved ones who were in dire need of oxygen.

“The available oxygen cylinders at the facility are empty. Of the six families, only one was able to supply the oxygen cylinder to save the life of their loved one,” said the source.

For those who cannot afford the oxygen cylinders, they were forced to look for bed space in other hospitals.

“I know of a case where a patient was asked to pay a deposit of Sh20,000 to get bed space at a local hospital as they were told to look for another Sh50,000 fee for treatment,” she said.

ICU beds occupied

The isolation centre at the Kakamega county referral hospital is full and all the ICU beds occupied with Covid-19 patients in critical condition.

Sources confirmed that they are turning away those who are not critically ill to create space for the critical cases.

On Tuesday, Prof Kutima said Kakamega was receiving patients from the neighbouring counties, on the understanding that those from the county could be admitted to hospitals in other counties.

In April, this year, the county installed two oxygen plants, each producing 230 litres and 320 litres per minute.

Prof Kutima said the county had further procured a new oxygen plant from France with a production capacity of 1,000 litres per minute that will supplement oxygen production in the county to reach 1,550 litres per minute.

“The plant is currently at the port of Mombasa awaiting shipment to Kakamega and once installed, it will fix the current shortage experienced across the country and relieve the pressure in the county,” said Prof Kutima.

Prof Kutima said the number of deaths to Covid-19 in Kakamega County as of June 29, had reached 29, with 18 positive cases in the isolation centre.

“Three patients are in ICU, two on ventilation machines and seven on high flow oxygen machines,” said Prof Kutima.

Difficulty in breathing

In Kisumu, where 88 people had died of Covid-19 complications in June by last week, the CEO of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, Dr George Rae, said difficulty in breathing is the most common symptom of severe Covid-19 cases.

“Patients with severe case of Covid-19 have symptoms of difficulty in breathing, chest pain and loss of speech,” he said.

Dr Rae said Covid-19 destroys the lungs, restricting the passage of air in the blood.

"It affects the air supply to the lungs and kidney. Once the kidney and lungs collapses, the patient faces hypoxia and confusion," said Dr Rae.

Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from Covid-19.

In Kisii, 10 patients are on oxygen support. The most common presenting symptoms among those who were symptomatic are cough, fever, and difficulty in
breathing.

In Homa Bay, the HDU at the county teaching and referral hospital is running out of space. Hospital CEO Peter Ogolla said nine beds were empty after their occupants were discharged by Tuesday Morning.

The HDU has 32 beds.

Most patients at the hospital are in critical condition, with three out of four requiring oxygen therapy, which could get bad if oxygen runs out.

Low oxygen circulation

County Preventive and Promotive Health Deputy Director Meshak Liru told the Nation that most Covid-19 patients admitted at the HDU have low oxygen circulation.

 "A common symptom is pneumonia. A lot of patients are having difficulties in breathing," the doctor said.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which offers support at the hospital, said 20 patients died at the hospital last month due to complications from the virus.

According to MSF project coordinator in Homa Bay Roshni Mahida, the situation is getting dire by the day.

“Currently, close to half of the people we test at the Homa Bay County Referral Hospital turn positive for Covid-19,” she said.

“To better respond to the virus surge, we would like to see more personal protective equipment (PPE), rapid diagnostic tests, medicines and oxygen back-up,” the medic added.

Since April this year, MSF has been routinely testing all patients admitted to the medical in-patient wards at the referral hospital.

Cases increasing steadily

For more than 10 weeks now, the number of patients turning positive for Covid-19 in the county has been increasing steadily, with the weekly average positivity rate reaching a high of 50 per cent.

Mr Mahida described the situation as worrying.

This is coupled with the go-slow by health care workers in the county who have been protesting delayed salaries, which results in most county residents to boycott going to hospitals.

Some sick people who seek medical care go to hospitals when it is too late.

“Most patients are not going to government hospitals thinking they are closed because of the “go-slow” while MSF-supported inpatient wards for adult medicine, tuberculosis and Covid-19 remain open,” said the MSF officer.

Reporting by Shaban Makokha, Elizabeth Ojina and George Odiwuor