Nairobi, April 2 -- Amid the Covid-19 outbreak three years ago, every county was in a hurry to set up an oxygen plant. This was due to projections that public hospitals would be overwhelmed with patients in need of critical care.

Many counties got into public-private partnerships to finance the refining of the gas, with others importing machines.

Had the noble ambition progressed as envisaged, the country could now be boasting of surplus medical oxygen.

However, what most public hospitals are left with are oxygen cylinders. Patients in need of gas are struggling to access it.

The Sunday Nation has learnt that bribes, tendering bottlenecks, poor training of staff handling the facilities, lack of spare parts and poor quality medical oxy...