Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, Managing Director, Anambra State Oxygen Production Plant, told Newsmen in Awka recently, that the newly built multi million naira Medical Oxygen Plant in Awka, can meet demands from health institutions in the South East.
The plant which is currently the biggest in the South East, was built primarily to meet local demands from medical installations in Anambra, that were always in need of it to save lives.
Dr Ibezim said that the installation had been strategically sited within the premises of the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Amaku, Awka. He explained that Oxygen is important to the human body, especially in cases of trauma as a result of accidents, contraction during Labour, or severe asthma, when certain levels of oxygen will be needed to resuscitate victims.
He explained that the World Health Organization (WHO) standard sets that you don’t administer oxygen from air, ‘’you need to give a certain percentage of oxygen to assist in the revival process, stressing that oxygen content is set at 93 per cent purity, plus or minus 3, which means the content must not get below 90 per cent or above 96.’’
Dr Ibezim, who doubles as Special Adviser to Governor Obiano on Indigenous Medicine and Herbal Practice, said that Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA) proposed the plant since 2014.
According to him, the oxygen purity from this plant is assured, stressing that it will be distributed to all hospitals and primary health centres across the state.
Dr. Ibezim further explained that the oxygen would be highly pressurized and it needs close monitoring to ascertain how it would circulate in the body because it was not meant for unregulated use.
He noted that Gov. Obiano had since directed that key medical personnel – doctors, nurses and certain grades of health workers on emergency services be trained on how to administer it to save life.
Dr. Ibezim maintained that they will ensure that right oxygen is administered to patients noting that Government will regulate the price because it not about profit making but saving lives.
Asika Ikemefuna
PEO I (Information)/ Head of Centre,
FIC, Awka
