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MEDICAL GAS SYSTEMS
Uganda Experience
By
Joel O. Akabway
Biomedical Engineer,
Biomed Systems Centre Ltd, Ntinda
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WHERE AND WHEN DO THEY
APPLY?
Introduction
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• Medical gases are manufactured specifically
for use in various medical applications.
• Used as directed by a trained medical
personnel (Doctors).
Introduction
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• Areas of use and application include;
treatment, diagnosis, investigations, to
operation and running of various instruments
and equipment.
• Medical gases can exist in either gaseous or
liquid forms and supplied either by bottles or
piped works.
Introduction
• The most commonly available and used
include;
•
•
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Oxygen
Nitrous Oxide
Carbon Dioxide
Medical Air
Medical Vacuum
Entonox e.t.c
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Application Purposes cont
• Medically, medical gases can be used as or for;
• Anaesthetic Gases (used anesthesia)
• Analgesic Gases (reduction of sensitivity to pain
without loss of consciousness).
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Application Purposes
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Life Support (Provision of life support i.e. oxygen)
Seductive Gases (Mind relaxation)
Respiratory Stimulating (a stimulant to breathing
Medical Air _ operation of Instruments
Medical Suction
Supply Forms
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• Cylinders/Bottles
• Piped gas supply systems (Manifold System with a
bank of cylinders.
• Piped gas supply system plant (Central Gas Supply
Plant).
• Equipment i.e. Oxygen concentrators (for
therapeutic applications)
MANIFOLD & CENTRAL PLANT SYSTEMS
SETUP
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MEDICAL OXYGEN
Or
NITROUS OXIDE
BANK OF CYLINDERS
BULK
TANKS/PLANT
SETUPS
Where and When Do they Apply:
Case Study:
The Uganda Experience
Medical Oxygen
a) Cylinders/Bottles:
• Find greater use in mobile applications i.e. emergency
use, ambulance applications, stand by sources. However,
most high level (especially public) health facilities
(District to Regional Referral) in Uganda today still use the
cylinder bottles.
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Where and When Do they Apply:
Case Study:
The Uganda Experience
Medical Oxygen
• Challenges
• It’s increasingly become over whelming and challenging
to effectively support the use and application of the
cylinders mainly for the high level facilities due to the
rate of consumption, quick example in public health
facilities i.e.;
• Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (300-400 bed) uses
approx; 30 - 40 (7.5m3) medical oxygen cylinders weekly
and 15 - 20 (1.36m3) cylinders per week. What the
annual consumption?
Where and When Do they Apply:
Case Study:
The Uganda Experience
Medical Oxygen
• Challenges (Cont’d)
• Increased consumption rates due to the ever increased
or expanding patient numbers (thus upgrading levels of
health facilities)
• Alongside this consumption rate, there is a great
challenge of availability of oxygen gas from the sources
(procurement challenges).
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Where and When Do they Apply:
Case Study:
The Uganda Experience
Medical Oxygen
• Challenges (Con’d)
• Introduction of departments (i.e. ICU) increase demand
and need
• Equipment (i.e. Ventilators, Pneumatic tools and
instruments)
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Where and When Do they Apply:
Case Study:
The Uganda Experience
Medical Oxygen
b) Piped Gas Supply Forms;
• The piped installations do provide the infrastructure,
however there can be various forms of sources which
include but not limited to;
i) Bank of Cylinders (Forming Manifold Systems);
• A Medical Gas Pipeline System (MGPS) is installed to
provide a safe, convenient and cost-effective system for
the provision of medical gases to the clinical and nursing
staff at the point of use.
Where and When Do they Apply:
Case Study:
The Uganda Experience
Medical Oxygen
b) Piped Gas Supply Forms (Cont’d);
i) Bank of Cylinders;
• Reduces problems associated with the use of gas cylinders
such as safety, porterage, storage and noise. This can be
used for all new installations, and for refurbishment or
upgrading of existing medical and hospital installations.
Where and When Do they Apply:
Case Study:
The Uganda Experience
Medical Oxygen
b) Piped Gas Supply Forms;
• The piped installations do provide the infrastructure, the
various forms of sources are not limited to;
ii) Central Gas Supply Plant;
• Liquid plants are set up for more economical use in
facilities with very high demand for oxygen use i.e. Mulago
National Referral Hospital. Though a much preferred
option as a source of medical oxygen, this type of plant
requires refilling and with this come challenges of timely
ability to refill.
Where and When Do they Apply:
Case Study:
The Uganda Experience
Medical Oxygen
b) Piped Gas Supply Forms;
• The piped installations do provide the infrastructure, the
various forms of sources are not limited to;
iii) Medical Gas Generation Plants;
• In relation to the above plants, these are mostly set up and
more economical options to use in the long run for use in
facilities with very high demand for oxygen use again i.e.
Mulago National Referral Hospital (approx 1500 beds).
Similarly, this type of plant still provide a great challenge in
the initial costs.
Where and When Do they Apply:
Case Study:
The Uganda Experience
Medical Oxygen
b) Piped Gas Supply Forms;
• The piped installations do provide the infrastructure, the
various forms of sources are not limited to;
iv) Medical Gas Generation Plants
• This equipment is designed to be used for therapeutic
applications and services. Its use is meant to be
intermittent and not for prolonged use.
End of presentation
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