The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has donated oxygen generation plants to Cross River, Kaduna, Ogun, and Ebonyi states to support Nigeria in improving quality healthcare delivery.
The governments of Bauchi, Oyo, Yobe, Rivers, and Kano will also receive another set of oxygen plants from the international organization when they are finished, thanks to support from IHS Nigeria, its partners, the governments of Canada and Norway, and other sources. It is anticipated that state governments will receive these this year.
According to Ms. Cristian Munduate, the Country Representative for UNICEF, the gesture was made in recognition of the pressing need to close important healthcare gaps and demonstrated the organization’s commitment to enhancing the health and well-being of Nigerians by building a strong healthcare infrastructure.
In a press release issued over the weekend, Munduate reports that Susan Akila, UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, stated that the transfer of the recently constructed oxygen generation plants represents a significant milestone in UNICEF’s effort to supply medical-grade oxygen to healthcare facilities.
The new oxygen plants can fill 135 cylinders (20-litre bottles) in 24 hours and can provide 720,000 litres of medical oxygen within the same time frame.
The capacity ensures that 100 children with severe pneumonia or 50-60 COVID-19 patients can receive round-the-clock oxygen treatment simultaneously.
She said: “These plants will ensure a continuous and reliable supply of life-saving oxygen, essential for the treatment of our most vulnerable, particularly children.”
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Sen. Bassey Otu, the governor of Cross Rivers State, expressed gratitude for the donation and mentioned that medical oxygen is a necessary supply for both routine and emergency medical applications because it is needed by every tissue in the body.
He assured the sustenance of the oxygen plant by his government considering its importance, saying, “Its importance was globally appreciated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“From then, its availability has become a most important indicator for measuring health system preparedness to contain health emergencies.
“I am delighted by this laudable support from UNICEF and its donors in establishing this medical oxygen plant in Cross River State.
“We will complement this breakthrough achievement in ensuring the sustainability of medical oxygen across the state.”
On the reason behind the involvement of the Government of Canada in the project, the High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, James Christoff, said, “Medical oxygen is an essential life-saving medicine.
“Having a steady and reliable supply of medical oxygen contributes to the successful treatment of patients at all levels of the healthcare system, including in surgery, trauma, heart failure, asthma, pneumonia, and maternal and childcare.
“Canada is proud to partner with UNICEF and IHS on this important initiative, which is leading to strengthened health systems in Nigeria.”
The CEO of IHS Nigeria, Mohamad Darwish, expressed gratitude on behalf of his organization for backing a project that attempts to strengthen illness treatments, increase healthcare accessibility, and improve service delivery within their host communities.
“We are proud to support UNICEF and contribute to an initiative which is designed to strengthen healthcare services and help support the Federal Ministry of Health meet demands for effective oxygen therapy in Nigeria,” he said.
