War on Covid-19 receives boost as Coast General Hospital obtains critical supplies

Efforts to deal with the coronavirus pandemic in Mombasa County received a shot in the arm after the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH) acquired a 10,000-litre oxygen tank which will help ensure constant supply of oxygen to patients.

The tank, donated to the facility by Mombasa Cement Limited, will start being operational at the end of the week.

CGTRH CEO Iqbal Khandwalla says Covid-19 patients require high volumes of oxygen which is a critical ingredient in the treatment of the disease.

“Each patient requires, depending on severity, 30-60 litres of oxygen per minute for those with severe cases of Covid-19.

“For the mild cases we might give them between 10-15 litres of oxygen per minute. So, the volume of oxygen that is used is very high,” said Khandwalla.

Khandwalla said the 10,000 litres of oxygen is consumed in about four days, depending on the number of patients who are on oxygen supply.

Mombasa Cement has indicated that it will be refilling the tank when needed
at a cost of about 600,000 shillings.

CGTRH only deals with moderate to severe cases and mild cases are done through home-based care.

“This is a great boost towards the fight against Covid-19 because Mombasa Cement has not only donated the tank but also the liquid oxygen inside,” said Khandwalla.

He spoke at the facility’s administration area where he received another consignment of donations from Mombasa Cement, which is one of the major donors to the hospital.

among the donations were 10 water dispensers, 10 electric kettles, 10 microwaves and 10 wheelchairs from Mombasa Cement CEO Hasmukh Patel’s personal assistant Samir Baloo.