By SAM PHIRI –
THE University Teaching Hospital (UTH) management has assured the public that the hospital has enough oxygen despite the oxygen-plant breaking down more than two months ago.
UTH assistant spokesperson Nathalie Mashikolo said patients that required oxygen were not at risk though he complained that the institution is losing more than K 175,000 every two weeks to procure the gas locally.
She said despite colossal sums of money the institution was losing on procuring oxygen, there has been no shortage of oxygen at the hospital.
“Despite the oxygen plants not working, we have enough stocks supplied by a local company which also sometimes helps us with free oxygen when there is a crisis,” she said.
Ms Mashikolo said UTH had procured an oxygen plant from South Africa and was only waiting its clearance.
“The part will be coming anytime and would enable the institution to channel the money it is spending to procure oxygen to other hospital operations,” she said.
A check by Sunday Times found hundreds of oxygen cylinders awaiting usage in different wards of the hospital.
