PLEASE help Kiwoko Hospital purchase potentially LIFE-SAVING OXYGEN.

THANK YOU to each and everyone who responded last year to our URGENT APPEAL for Kiwoko Hospital (KH) which was set up to deal with the emerging COVID-19 pandemic. We were simply overwhelmed by the generosity of many with the JustGiving fund raising over £25,000 (plus Gift Aid). This money was much needed and enabled KH to deal with some of the significant needs brought by the first wave of COVID-19 [See below for further information as to how these funds were used].

UNFORTUNATELY Uganda is now in a much more serious second wave. Reported numbers are much greater than before and at KH we are seeing more and more patients with COVID-19. Thankfully many have mild or moderate illness, and can be managed with Home Based Care. However, there are increasing numbers of very sick patients, many of whom need large amounts of oxygen. Some need referred out for higher care, but obtaining ICU beds can prove very difficult, if not impossible, at times.

As a hospital we have identified a number of urgent areas of need as we seek to provide the best possible care for the patients we serve. Currently, our BIGGEST need is OXYGEN. We heavily rely on oxygen concentrators to provide oxygen to patients who need oxygen - but we do not have enough concentrators, and many of the concentrators we do have currently can provide a maximum oxygen flow of 5L/min, yet we are seeing more and more patients needing 10-15L/min of oxygen. We also have a small number of oxygen cylinders, as backup to the concentrators, for patients needing higher amounts of oxygen, for patient transfers in the ambulance etc. We want to preserve these for specific indications as refilling cylinders is becoming more and more difficult. Recently our team brought cylinders for refilling: they joined a long queue, had to sleep overnight and eventually got the cylinders refilled after lunch the next day.  

SADLY due to limited oxygen availability, we have not been able to supply oxygen (either at all or at an adequate rate) to a number of patients and have had to refer these patients out to other facilities. Knowing that oxygen availability countrywide is a huge issue and that these patients may struggle to find oxygen elsewhere, this is simply heart breaking. 

SO WHAT DO WE NEED? In preparation for the next 6 months, and taking into account the high probability of further waves when lockdown is lifted due to the low percentage of vaccinated individuals, we would love to be able to purchase the following to enable us to provide enough oxygen for our patients:

1. 7 x 10L/min OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS @ £1800-£2000 each
2. 12 x 6800L OXYGEN CYLINDERS @ £400-£420 each
3. 12 x HUMIDIFIER BOTTLES @ £8-£10 each
4. 12 x REGULATORS @ £280-£290 each
   
5. 1500 x OXYGEN MASKS with reservoir bag @ £1.80-£2.00 each
6. 1140 x OXYGEN MASKS without reservoir bag @ £1.00-£1.10 each 

Additionally we will need to REFILL the OXYGEN CYLINDERS with an estimated cost, including transport, for the next 6 months of £2950-3200. 

Each and every penny received will make a difference - let us save lives together. 

WE TREAT.... JESUS HEALS

If money received is beyond that required for these oxygen related needs, it will be allocated to the COVID fund to cover other related needs such as PPE purchase.
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The money from the JustGiving URGENT APPEAL in 2020 enabled the hospital to purchase/do the following essential items:

1. PPE and Sundries [including masks, liquid soap, alcohol based hand rub (ABHR) and ABHR dispensers] = approx. £20,600
   
2. Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Case Management [Hand washing facilities at hospital and ward entrances, shelter at gate for staff to screen everyone entering, and tents for social distancing] = approx. £4,400
3. Screening, testing and referring [Tents] = approx. £610
4. Information, education and communication [Stationary, Printing, Translated Videos and Airtime] = approx. £890

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