Path Uganda, a Nnon governmental organisation advocating for good health raises concern over the absence of medical oxygen in government hospitals a threat that has continued to claim lives that probably would have been saved.
According to the senior Advocacy officer at Path Hasifah Naluyiga, a total of 13700 children die annually in Uganda of pneumonia, a disease that is related to blockage of air circulation with in the body and this can be helped by usage of medical oxygen.
The problem is high in lower government health facilities at level III and IV where oxygen supply stands at 13% and 68% respectively yet these are facilities that serve majority people in localities.
Naluyiga highlights challenges surrounding the availability of oxygen in hospitals including lack of equipment for storing oxygen, poor managerial skills by health workers which she says government needs to work upon immediately to save lives.
According to information by PATH, 60% of oxygen given to hospitals is owned by donors and government only contributes 40% to this cause which they say is inappropriate for government to leave issues of health to donors.
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