By Linda Soko
A MakanDay investigation has found a significant number of oxygen cylinders supplied to Zambia’s largest hospital to help treat seriously-ill patients are alleged to be defective.
According to an employee at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, it’s common for oxygen cylinders supplied to the hospital to arrive either empty or only partially-filled. The employee requested anonymity because he feared for his job if identified.
The appalling revelation suggests UTH patients, particularly those in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), are facing serious health risks because of oxygen supply issues.
A source indicated to MakanDay that at least one critically-ill patient died in September 2024 because the patient’s oxygen supply had run out.
MakanDay’s investigation also found family members who allege they were asked to pay bribes to hospital employees to ensure that their patient’s oxygen supply didn’t run out.
One family member, whose relative spent a month at UTH, alleged that to ensure a steady supply of oxygen, they often had to pay delivery personnel within the hospital K50 (USD 1.9) or K100 (USD 3.8).
MakanDay’s investigation raises serious questions about patient safety at UTH. It also raises questions about the amount of money the hospital is spending to provide oxygen to its patients.
Ironically, UTH spent more than $900,000 US in 2013 to build its own oxygen plant to ensure a steady supply of the life-saving gas without need to purchase it from outside sources. However, the oxygen plant broke down in 2016 and has been out of operation for the past eight years.
UTH declined to disclose its monthly expenditure on oxygen cylinders, the daily, monthly, or annual oxygen supply, or details of its oxygen cylinder contract.
The hospital also refused to comment on allegations that some employees are accepting bribes to perform their duties.
Similarly, the Ministry of Health declined to answer questions regarding UTH’s oxygen supply, including how much the hospital spends on it. The Ministry also would not comment on whether the oxygen plant at UTH will be repaired or how much the repairs are expected to cost.”
MakanDay’s investigation shows that oxygen cylinders are supplied to UTH by ChinGases Company Limited, which is based in Lusaka’s industrial area.
Chingases is owned by four Chinese nationals – Liang Yonghua, Li Gongzhe, Li Jianhua, Ruan Yangshen, and Zhang Jun, according to the Patent and Company Registration Agency. The company was registered in 2007, and its business address is plot number 1217/18, Mumbwa road, Chinika, light industrial area, Lusaka.
A CGC manager, who identified himself only as Leon, said that the company has been in the oxygen supply business for nearly 10 years, serving nearly all government and private hospitals in Zambia. He added that the company adheres to Zambian regulations in their operations.
The government hospitals served by CGC are believed to include Matero, Kanyama, Chongwe, and Chawama Level One hospitals, according to another CGC source, who requested anonymity because he feared reprisals.
A CGC representative declined to answer specific questions from MakanDay about its contract with UTH, indicating that it is UTH’s responsibility to raise any concerns about the oxygen supply. The representative told MakanDay to address issues with UTH, as CGC merely acts as the supplier.
“We cannot comment on this matter as we have not received any complaints from the hospital. Healthcare personnel should raise their concerns directly with the hospital,” a company representative said.
CGC’s management declined to disclose the price of an oxygen cylinder sold to UTH or the amount of oxygen that is supplied monthly to the hospital.
CGC also declined to comment directly on allegations that some of the oxygen cylinders delivered to UTH arrive either empty or only partially filled.
“I informed the hospital that if they have any empty cylinders, they should notify us, and we will arrange for an exchange,” the CGC representative said.
The exact quantity of oxygen supplied to UTH is unclear, but according to a quotation obtained by MakanDay, CGC sells 9.2 kg (50-litre) medical oxygen cylinders for K330 each.
One source at UTH told MakanDay that while accompanying a patient to the dialysis treatment room at UTH’s Adult Hospital, he was alarmed to overhear nurses urgently discussing the need for oxygen for a critical patient scheduled for dialysis. According to the source, all five oxygen cylinders they had opened that morning were found to be empty.
The source urged the government to address the issue with urgency, warning that many lives were at risk if some of the oxygen cylinders being procured continued to arrive empty. He emphasised that this not only endangered patients but also represented a significant waste of taxpayers’ money.
“The government needs to take immediate action to ensure the quality of these supplies, as lives depend on it,” he said.
A UTH source told MakanDay the amount of oxygen cylinders being used by the hospital’s patients is alarming. The source added that many of the oxygen cylinders supplied by CGC are depleted within 30 minutes to an hour, leading to severe risks for patients.
“We have had various suppliers before, and their oxygen did not run out so quickly. Even when UTH had its own oxygen supply plant operational, the oxygen lasted longer,” the source said.
Another health worker, who also requested anonymity for fear of losing his job, revealed that many staff members have been privately complaining about receiving new, sealed oxygen cylinders that are either empty or only partially filled when needed for patient care.
“I had heard colleagues complain about receiving empty oxygen cylinders, but I didn’t take it seriously until I faced an emergency situation myself. When I tried to use a cylinder, I noticed the pressure gauge wasn’t working. I alerted a colleague, who confirmed the cylinder was empty. That same day, we discovered two more oxygen cylinders were also empty,” the source explained.
Health personnel have questioned why the government has not revived the once-operational oxygen plant at UTH, instead of spending substantial sums daily on procuring medical oxygen.
One of the workers noted that UTH generates significant revenue, such as the K5,000 charged per night to patients in the high-cost wards. Despite this, the hospital has failed to address critical issues, including repairing the oxygen plant to reduce costs and resolving problems with the CT scanner, among other concerns.
UTH is the largest public tertiary hospital in Zambia, with a capacity of 1,655 beds. Located in Lusaka, it serves as the country’s leading institution for training medical students, nurses, clinical officers, and other healthcare professionals.
The hospital provides essential healthcare services at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels and plays a critical role in developing Zambia’s medical workforce through practical training and education. As a referral centre for complex medical cases from across the country, UTH is a cornerstone of Zambia’s healthcare system.
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