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For over two years, Umualumaku Primary Health Centre—located in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State in Nigeria—had an oxygen concentrator and cylinder that remained untouched and unused since its procurement. Despite the presence of the vital equipment, none of the health workers at the facility had practical knowledge or confidence to operate it. As a result, newborns and patients experiencing respiratory distress were often referred to distant hospitals, losing precious time and, sometimes, their lives in the process.
This situation changed dramatically during a mentorship visit facilitated by the Imo State Ministry of Health under the ongoing Oxygen Management and Utilization Strengthening Program. As part of this program, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) supports the training of health workers at different health facilities on hypoxemia management. This also includes training select clinicians as mentors, including Dr. Odinaka Kelechi from the Federal Teaching Hospital Owerri.
The mentorship session at Umualumaku Primary Health Centre, led by Dr. Odinaka, focused on equipping healthcare workers with practical skills on the use, maintenance, and safety of oxygen delivery equipment. During the visit, Dr. Odinaka provided hands-on demonstrations on how to set up the oxygen concentrator, connect nasal prongs and flow meters, check power safety, and deliver oxygen therapy safely to patients in need. The nurses and community health extension workers were given the opportunity to practice repeatedly, ensuring that they mastered each step with precision and confidence.
Just a few hours after this impactful mentorship, a newborn baby was delivered at the facility. Immediately after birth, the infant developed severe breathing difficulty—a condition that, in the past, would have prompted an urgent referral. However, this time, the trained nurses acted swiftly.
With calmness and competence, they assessed the baby and quickly initiated oxygen therapy using the same concentrator that had been lying idle for years. Within minutes, the baby’s breathing improved, oxygen saturation levels stabilized, and the cries of life filled the room. The mother, overwhelmed with gratitude, could not hold back tears as she thanked the health team for saving her child’s life.
This event marked a turning point for the facility and the community. The once “silent equipment” had become a symbol of renewed capacity and readiness. The mentorship had not only transferred skills but also transformed attitudes—from fear and hesitation to confidence and action.
“Before the mentorship, none of us knew how to operate the oxygen concentrator. We were afraid of spoiling it. But Dr. Odinaka’s visit changed everything. Today, we are proud to say that we saved a life using it,” said one of the nurses at the facility.
The success at Umualumaku Primary Health Centre underscores the critical importance of mentorship in strengthening primary healthcare delivery, including high-quality oxygen therapy. It demonstrates that when health workers are empowered with the right knowledge and support, they can utilize available resources to deliver quality, life-saving care even at the grassroots level. Through mentorship, knowledge becomes power—and power becomes life.
GO2AL and its members, like CHAI, remain committed to supporting countries as they build stronger, more resilient oxygen systems—because access to medical oxygen should be a guarantee, not a gamble.
About CHAI
CHAI is a global health organisation that operates at the nexus of government, business, and health. Our mission is to save lives and improve health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries by enabling the government and private sector to strengthen and sustain high-quality health systems. Our approach hinges on our trusted relationships with governments to drive change across entire health systems. CHAI is working to expand access to medical oxygen in countries with the highest rates of mortality for pneumonia, with an emphasis on vulnerable groups such as newborns and children. In addition, we support governments and health administrators to improve hypoxemia screening through training and access to critical tools like pulse oximeters, and in reforming national policies and financing to sustain these improvements.