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It takes a minimum of four strong people to load each pair of oxygen cylinders into MAF’s plane. For the dispatchers, groaning under the weight of the 130kg load, it’s worth the effort. Each of the huge white canisters will save multiple lives.
Medical oxygen is an essential part of supportive care for a wide range of acute physical conditions from pneumonia to childbirth complications. Without oxygen, it would be impossible to carry out operations or treat traumatic injuries sustained in road accidents.
Without oxygen, the most fragile patients, including the young and the elderly, would quickly lose their lives.
Until recently, oxygen wasn’t widely available in South Sudan. Hospitals outside Juba had little or no access to a regular supply of bottled oxygen. Instead, they relied on oxygen concentrators — machines which extract oxygen from the air and require a reliable electricity supply to function.
Because hospitals tend to use diesel generators and suffer frequent fuel shortages, when the fuel runs out, the oxygen stops.
Lack of access to medical oxygen in countries like South Sudan was highlighted during COVID-19. At the beginning of the pandemic, South Sudan relied on imported oxygen. Supplies quickly dried up and oxygen-producing countries began to prioritise their own needs over the needs of other nations.
A new oxygen plant, capable of generating 2,500 litres of oxygen a day, was opened at Juba Teaching Hospital in September 2021. Amref Health was called in to help the country’s Ministry of Health make the most of this new facility.
With severe safety security challenges facing travellers in South Sudan, and only 400km of paved road, Amref contacted MAF to ensure the oxygen’s safe transport.
Pilot Jonathan Pound made the first flight to Malakal in March this year. ‘The first time I dropped off the supply at Malakal, they told me it couldn’t have come at a better time. They had an outbreak of cholera and were desperate for oxygen to treat the patients.’
MAF has flown 56 cylinders to 8 locations since March, with more flights planned for the coming weeks. The impact, according to Peter, has been significant, with hospital staff saying that their services had really improved.
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