Kenya: Rockfeller to fund oxygen plants set up in 4 hospitals

The Rockfeller Foundation will fund construction of oxygen generation plants in four public hospitals, enhancing Kenya’s ability to mitigate adverse effects of the COVID-19.

Othaya Level 6 Hospital was the first beneficiary of the Rockefeller Foundation and Amref Health Africa partnership. It will be followed by Mbagathi , Kajiado and the Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral hospitals.

Amref Health Africa Group Chief Executive Officer Githinji Gitahi termed the donation as strategic since “oxygen is an important life-saving commodity for management of various critical conditions in health facilities especially for patients who are suffering severe Covid-19 symptoms.”

The oxygen tank at Othaya Level 6 Hospital can hold 4000 Kgs of liquid oxygen and supply the hospital for 30 days at current consumption rates. Having an on-site oxygen plant will guarantee a sustainable supply of high purity oxygen to its wards.

The Rockefeller Foundation’s Africa managing director William Asiko urged more collaborations saying helping hospitals mitigate operational costs would boost standards of healthcare.

“The Rockefeller Foundation is keen to support the elimination of COVID-19 in Kenya and around the world. It requires partners to collaborate in order to reach the scale and scope needed to bend the Covid-19 curve downward. Through collaboration with grantees such as Amref Health Africa and the Health ministry, we are working to identify, invest and scale-up solutions in the communities we serve,” he said.

Article first published on businessdailyafrica.com