US government has supported Ghana with four new oxygen plants to support its Covid-19 response plan.
The Plants have been situated at the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre (GIDC), the place dedicated for referral of Covid-19 patients.
The country has also received 28 high-flows, and high pressure oxygen concentrators to health facilities across the country from the US government.
This is to further strengthen Ghana’s ability to provide oxygen to patients in need as part of ensuring that Ghanaian lives are saved.
Prior to receiving the plants, health officials at the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre had to rely on private hospitals for oxygen which is critical for Covid-19 patients requiring ventilators.
The US Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan speaking at the presentation, said the oxygen support is critical in the short term to address the government’s Covid-19 critical care needs and in the long term provide Ghana oxygen for intensive, maternal and new-born care.
She said each of the 4 Oxygen Plants have the capacity to produce 250 litres of oxygen per minute, while adding that USAID supported pre-installation work to ensure the sites were ready to receive the plants including necessary infrastructure and other ancillary works.
She also announced that the Cape Coast Municipal Hospital, Kumasi South and Tamale West Hospitals would also be provided with 2 additional plants. She expressed the US government’ resolve to continuously provide support to strengthen Ghana’s health care system, while curbing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Nicholas Adjabu, who represented the Minister of Health pledged government’s commitment to maintaining the plants and use it for its intended purpose.
About the Ghana Infectious Diseases Centre
The Ghana Infectious Diseases Centre at the Ga East Municipal Hospital is a major referral Centre in the treatment and management of severe and critical COVID-19 within the capital. Although a 100-bed bed facility, it currently runs 30 beds due to constraints in sustainable resources including oxygen. This, the Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr. Joseph Oliver-Commey noted that the coming of the plants would go a long way in helping the hospital to achieve its goal of providing safe, quality, and affordable health care to unfortunate loved ones during these pandemic and future epidemics.
