UNICEF hands over medical oxygen production plant to Zambian hospital

LUSAKA, May 2 — The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday handed over a medical oxygen production plant to Zambia’s Kitwe Teaching Hospital in Copperbelt Province.
The plant, constructed at a cost of 1.6 million U.S. dollars, will produce between 100 and 120 oxygen cylinders per day, with each cylinder containing 50 liters when operating at full capacity.
Penelope Campbell, the UNICEF representative in Zambia, said Sauring the handover ceremony that the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded countries of the need to have medical oxygen ecosystems in place to save lives. “It is clear to all of us by now that having readily available medical oxygen is critical for the provision of quality care in many areas of medicine.”
She said medical oxygen is vital in preventing diseases such as pneumonia which is still the leading cause of death among children under the age of five in Zambia.
The UNICEF representative said the plant will serve not only the residents of Kitwe town, the hub of Copperbelt Province, but also the surrounding health facilities and districts.
Elisha Matambo, minister of Copperbelt Province, said the plant has not only addressed the pressing need for oxygen but also laid a strong foundation for sustainable healthcare services in the province, adding that the construction of the plant also shows the government’s commitment and dedication to making strategic investments in healthcare infrastructure.