By Ibrahim S. Bangura
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, handed over Oxygen Therapy Equipment and Accessories to the Ministry of Health (MoH) to support the treatment of hypoxemia in Sierra Leone.
Hypoxemia is an abnormally low level of oxygen in the blood. This usually causes impair organ function, particularly in the brain, causing restlessness, rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, cell and tissue damage, among others. Hypoxemia can be life-threatening if left untreated.
It was against this backdrop that UNICEF supported the country through MoH with Oxygen Therapy Equipment and Accessories as one of their many contributions to help strengthen the health sector in the country.
The handing over ceremony, which took place in the conference hall of the ministry of health at Youyi Building was attended by representatives from UNICEF, MoH, among personalities.
In his statements, Mr. Rudolf Schwenk, UNICEF representative, stated that UNICEF remained committed to working with the Government of Sierra Leone and key stakeholders in the delivery of health services to children and families across the country.
He said that donating the equipment to MoH was part of their mission to help fight against maternal, newborn and child death in Sierra Leone. “Today, we mark a significant step in Sierra Leone’s mission to reduce maternal, newborn and child deaths. This event marks the beginning of an imitative by the Ministry of Health to decentralize availability and use of medical oxygen in primary health care facilities, especially given the high prevalence of pneumonia and hypoxemia in the country,’’ he said. 2A significant and reversible barrier to improving child and maternal survival is the lack of access to oxygen delivery equipment, coupled with insufficient knowledge and skills among health workers to administer oxygen therapy.”
He said that UNICEF is working with the MoH to improve the lives of children and families nationwide. “As part of this effort, UNICEF is pleased to be donating essential oxygen therapy equipment and supplies, including the following items: 64 Oxygen Concentrators, 140 filter sets, 60 flow splitters, 1, 000 nasal catheters, 296 pulse oximeters, 216 resuscitators, 288 oxygen sensors, 30 sets of spare kits,30 tubing sets and 72 nebulizers,” said Schwenk.
According to him, these life-saving supplies will support the effective diagnosis and treatment of oxygen deficiency (hypoxemia) in newborns, children under five, pregnant and lactating women at selected Primary Health Unites (PHUs) in 13 districts of Sierra Leone, including Bo, Bonthe, Moyamba, Pujehun, Kenema, Kono, Kailahun, Bombali, Tonkolili, Koinadugu, Kambia, Port Loko and Falaba. “These critical items, valued at more than US$300,000, were funded by UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children programme and the Government of the Republic of Korea. As we hand over this equipment, we trust that the Ministry of Health will take all necessary measures to ensure that the equipment, supplies and consumables are used appropriately, and that routine preventive maintenance is carried out as required,” Schwenk concluded.
Charles Senessie, Deputy Minister of Health, thanked and appreciated UNICEF and other partners for their unwavering support to strengthening the health sector in Sierra Leone.
He promised that the ministry would make better use of the donation.”It is well known that oxygen is a life-saving medicine, treating many severe health conditions. We believe that these supplies will help solve many of the issues the country used to encounter in the areas of oxygen. In 2014 to 2015, we had a high maternal mortality above 1,500 or so. That has been reduced drastically over the years to about 100. That is well achievement for this country.”
According to the Minister, with support they had from partners, they had been able to procure and install five oxygen concentrators in Bo, Kenema, Makeni, Connaught and Koidu. He said that by the end of 2024, there would be 12 functional plants nationwide.