Ghana has received 4 new oxygen plants to support its Covid-19 response plan. The Plants have been placed at the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre which is the main referral point for Covid patients.
In addition, the US government is also providing 28 high-flows, high-pressure oxygen concentrators to health facilities across the country to further strengthen Ghana’s ability to provide oxygen to patients in need.
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.
Speaking at the donation of the plants in Accra, the US Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan 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.
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.
The US Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan said each of the 4 Oxygen Plants provided have the capacity to produce 250 litres of oxygen per minute. She said USAID supported pre-installation work to ensure the sites were ready to receive the plants including necessary infrastructure electricity connections and piping.
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 the government’s commitment to maintain the plants and use it for its intended purpose.
Meanwhile, the US government has also handed over a negative pressure isolation system to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital in Accra.
The system is to provide safe care to Covid-19 patients and prevent the potential spread of covid-19 to other patients being treated at the hospital. The $1.5 million is being donated through the Department of Defence’s Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster and Civic Aid programme.
