U.S Ambassador, Stephanie Sullivan, cutting the tape to commission the oxygen plant.
The United States (U.S) government has provided oxygen support system to the country to facilitate the provision of live-saving care for Covid-19 patients.
The system, including four oxygen plants, each with the capacity to produce 250 litters of oxygen per minute for approximately 25 severely ill patients per day, was presented to the Ministry of Health (MoH) at a ceremony at the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre (GIDC), in Accra.
The package also includes the supply of oxygen cylinders, pulse oximeters and the training of health staff and engineers on how to properly use and maintain the equipment.
U.S Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan, handing over the system to the government said the support addresses the immediate and medium-term effects of Covid-19 on the health, agriculture, education and hard-hit private sectors.
“This oxygen support is critical in the short-term to address Ghana’s Covid-19 critical care needs and in the long-term, strengthen Ghana’s provision of oxygen, intensive care, maternal and new born care,” she said.
Ambassador Sullivan said the U. S government will continue to support the country’s response to curb the spread of Covid-19, save lives and strengthen its health system.
“Later this month we will commission three additional plants at Cape Coast Municipal Hospital, Kumasi South and Temale.
The U.S government is also providing 28 high-flow, high pressure oxygen concentrators to healthcare facilities across the country. Each specialized concentrator can provide oxygen for three severely ill patients at a time,” she added.
She said the U.S government is taking the lead role in the global pandemic response indicating that no nation can act alone in the face of a pandemic.
The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu in a speech read on his behalf said the oxygen system will help stabilize the health system to manage effectively Covid-19 patients.
“In managing Covid-19, we will use oxygen as some point indicating that although health staff can easily deal with using portable oxygen concentrators, for Covid-19 they are found to be less effective.
Therefore, this is coming in at a time we really need it and we thank God and the U.S government,” he said.
Acting Director of the GIDC Dr. Joseph Oliver-Commey, said the gesture will go a long way in helping the country achieve its goal of providing safe, quality, and affordable health care to its unfortunate loved ones during the pandemic.
“We know the American government always delivers on its promises. as part of this donation, we have been promised other oxygen consumables,” he said.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri