LIBERIA – His Excellency President George Weah has inaugurated Liberia’s largest oxygen plant on Bushrod Island, located at the Star Base facility, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the governments of Germany, the United States, and Canada.
According to the Liberian head, the country has attained a high – capacity Medical Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) oxygen plant that will produce 100 cylinders per day at 93% purity, an upgrade from the status quo.
In addition, the United States government is supporting the World Health Organization, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with the establishment of another oxygen plant in Bomi County.
“Liberia only had 3 operational oxygen plants with a daily production capacity of 30–40 cylinders. The government and partners recognized this as a major gap, which led to the creation of a plan to increase medical oxygen production, delivery, and use in Liberia,” said WHO.
Additionally, the medicinal oxygen supplied by the Star Base Plant will address the country’s long-standing issue of inadequate oxygen supply in major hospitals while being helpful to patients who have surgical operations, asthma, or people who are otherwise unable to breathe.
President Weah described the facility as a major milestone for the health sector in ensuring quality health care to Liberian communities particularly reaching the last mile, noting that it is critical to create resilient health systems with an efficient service delivery component for better health outcomes.
“This is a reaffirmation of my administration’s commitment to bring more health services to our communities, as we attempt to increase access to universal health coverage and protect the population from public health threats under the Pro Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD),” he said.
He further highlighted that the country is making on COVID-19 vaccination and the journey towards building herd immunity against the pandemic is in full swing while lauding all Liberians for cooperating with the government and adhering to health protocols.
“Liberia is winning the battle on this front; with the vaccination coverage reported as being above 76%; placing our country in the 3rd position on the African continent,” said President Weah.
Meanwhile, Dr. Clement Peter, WHO Liberia Representative, explained that many countries felt the demand of oxygen and Intensive care units (ICUs) during the 2020/2021 COVID-19 waves while acknowledging the Liberian government for prioritizing health for all.
In 2020–2021, the Ministry of Health, with assistance from partners, conducted an assessment of the oxygen generation, supply, and distribution capacity in Liberia to support COVID–19 preparedness and response.
“Other medical conditions that needed oxygen were barely prioritized due to its scarcity, resulting in added risk of adverse outcomes. Indeed, we faced an unforgettable struggle between life and death on account of oxygen scarcity,” Dr. Peter added.
Furthermore, WHO has supported the renovation of a building to serve as a shed for the plant, a training centre for health workers, the construction of a 665 perimeter fence, a generator house, and the procurement and installation of a 150KVA generator at Star Base.
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