NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 24 – This week, Unitaid, funded by the UK government, announced a significant US$22 million investment to support the establishment of Africa’s first regional liquid oxygen manufacturing program, aimed at improving access to medical oxygen in sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative will focus on East and Southern Africa, with production facilities set to be established in Kenya and Tanzania. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp This pioneering program is designed to increase medical oxygen production in East Africa by 300% and reduce oxygen prices by up to 27%, making it more affordable for healthcare systems across the region.
This initiative will enable the treatment of thousands of additional patients each month, significantly enhancing healthcare outcomes. Harry Kimtai, Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Health of Kenya, emphasized the importance of medical oxygen in healthcare delivery. “The key role of medical oxygen at all levels of care cannot be emphasized.
Kenya’s drive towards universal health coverage requires uninterrupted access to all health products and technologies, including medical oxygen. We are delighted that this new liquid oxygen manufacturing plant will boost availability across the country and not just in the Coast region,” he stated. Kimtai congratulated Unitaid and its partners for their funding and technical support, expressing enthusiasm for further collaborations to enhance the availability of essential health pro.