The Project Engineer, Engr. Abdullahi Danhudi, explaining the functions of components of the oxygen plant to Journalists. (Credit: Ministry of Information and Strategy)
By Lawrence Ekong
In furtherance of its healthcare development goals for her citizens, the Akwa Ibom State Government has commenced the installation of modular medical oxygen plant with automatic manifold oxygen cylinder refilling station at the Ituk Mbang General Hospital in Uruan Local Government Area.
Conducting newsmen round the new facility on Tuesday March 23, 2021, a medical expert and the Project Engineer, Engr. Abdullahi Danhudi explained that the total capacity of the oxygen plant is put at one hundred matrix cube per hour, which puts the hospital ahead of its contemporaries in other states including many Federal Government owned healthcare institutions across the country.
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While extolling the Akwa Ibom State Government for its proactive steps in ensuring that the healthcare needs of the citizenry is addressed, Engr. Danhudi remarked that the availability of the facility in the state would also help to cater to the demands of medical oxygen especially in the face of the ravaging Covid-19 pandemic.
In his words, ”what we have here is a two-oxygen-compressor plant with the capacity to produce one hundred matrix cube per hour and it is one of the best in the country. This oxygen plant also have the capacity to serve up to one thousand bed spaces in the hospital. It can also refill between ninety to one hundred and twenty oxygen cylinders at the refilling section”.
Inside the modular oxygen plant.
He further explained that “the vacuum plant is built with three compressors fitted with a 1,500 litre tank, and they are all channelled to each bed in the isolation center, which will aid in central suction while also eliminating all suction machines in the process. The Oxygen refilling section can refill up to thirty oxygen cylinders in a day, and because of it’s huge potentials, the government can decide to make the hospital a hub of medical oxygen in the region” .
On the quality and durability of the equipment, Engr. Danhudi stated that “all what we have here are of trusted European brands, and we also have direct access to spare parts which makes our routine maintenance very easy” .
He equally added that “most of the issues that affects the maintenance of an oxygen plant is the availability of power, and the state government has provided a steady and dedicated power line to feed the plant therefore, the issue of maintenance has been addressed” .
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While highlighting the major features of the oxygen plant installed at the Ituk Mbang General Hospital and what is obtainable in other places, Engr. Danhudi stressed that “what we have here is 100% owned by the Akwa Ibom State Government, and it is not yet obtainable in any other state in Nigeria. It is also a facility that would guarantee 97% pure oxygen for patients. It is also the first of its kind in the Nigeria, and with this, Akwa Ibom is setting the pace in healthcare delivery”.
