Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital gets new device for baby treatment

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital has introduced medical equipment that will be used to save the lives of pre-term babies and children under five months suffering from acute respiratory distress.

The Vayu bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure equipment was innovated by Dr Thomas Burke.

Gregory Ganda, the County Executive for Health in Kisumu, during the handing over of the device, said it would be a game changer in reducing mortality rates of newborn babies.

Burke, a globally acclaimed science innovator, said the equipment is meant to save the lives of babies.

“It is a non-invasive form of respiratory support which does not require complex technical expertise. Furthermore, less complex devices such as the Vayu bubble CPAP are preferable due to their ease of maintenance and affordability. The equipment does not require any electricity to work,” he said.

Also, it is easy to use and has vital qualities for ensuring safe oxygen delivery to young children, he said, adding that it is enhanced by an easy-to-use adjustable blender that regulates the amount of oxygen a baby needs.

“The device is equipped with a system with a regulated pressure, regulated oxygen flow, and humidification that is right for the baby. It is also reusable for at least three years if used according to the manual provided by the manufacturer-Revital Healthcare (EPZ),’ Burke said.

Clinical officers and pediatricians at the hospital have been trained to use the new equipment, which has been successfully embraced and implemented by 19 countries across the globe, notably Vietnam and the Philippines.

The Jaramogi hospital management, led by CEO George Rae, has already placed into use the Vayu equipment in the maternity wing and newborn unit. The deputy chairperson of the hospital’s board, Monica Ogutu, urged health stakeholders to form private-public-partnership to boost healthcare. Others at the event included  deputy CEO Dedan Ongonga.                                                  

 reaffirmed their commitment to upscale measures to procure more Vayu Bcpap, to responsively and sustainably serve patients at their facility.

Medical statistics estimate that out of all the successful newborn deliveries done in health facilities, 38 percent result in maternal deaths in Kisumu County alone.