Following the successful installation of South Sudan’s first oxygen plant at Juba Teaching Hospital, the nation has begun producing oxygen to help fight covid-19
The project was implemented by the World Health Organization (WHO) on behalf of the government, the oxygen plant was procured as part of measures to support the country’s ongoing Covid-19 response with a grant from the African Development Bank Group’s concessional lending arm.
The equipment included 240 cylinders and four years of service and accessories with a generation capacity of 2,500 litres per day and the ability to refill around 72 D-type oxygen cylinders daily, the plant will be a centralized production and supply hub for remote locations.The $980 000 oxygen plant project cost includes the procurement and construction of a facility to house the plant.
South Sudan’s Health Minister, Elizabeth Achuei, said the installation of the plant was good news to the nation and would bolster the country’s preparedness for oxygen in anticipation of the third wave of Covid-19. “South Sudan will no longer be importing oxygen from neighbouring countries and this means oxygen will be supplied to facilities on time and more lives will be saved,” Achuei added.
WHO Representative for South Sudan, Dr Fabian Ndenzako emphasized the importance of the oxygen plant, according to him, “the installation of the oxygen plant will be a great boost to provide intensive care treatment to the critically ill Covid-19 patients,” The plant would strengthen the country’s health system and improve emergency preparedness, particularly in the country’s Covid-19 response.
African Development Bank Country Manager for South Sudan, Benedict Kanu, said providing the oxygen plant formed part of efforts by the African Development Bank Group and its partners to build a robust and well-functioning health system in South Sudan to respond to health emergencies.
The installation of the oxygen plant will be a great boost to provide intensive care treatment to the critically ill Covid-19 patients
Not neglecting the impact of Covid-19 on the nation, Kanu added that “The Covid-19 pandemic remains a major threat to South Sudan’s population and elsewhere in Africa. The Bank will continue to work with the government of South Sudan and its development partners like the WHO to ensure a timely response to the pandemic and future public health emergencies to save lives and livelihoods,”