Unicef Lauds RSG On Oxygen Centre

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has described the new Pressure Swing Medical Oxygen plant at Eleme General Hospital as significant and key in health care delivery in the State.
UNICEF’s Nigeria Country Representative, Ms. Cristian Munduate during the unveiling of the centre yesterday in Eleme, said the commissioning and handover of the Pressure Swing (PS) Medical Oxygen Plant is a significant milestone in the collective endeavour to improve health outcomes for the people of the state and Nigerians at large.
She said the Pressure Swing Absorption Medical Oxygen plant is more than just a facility as it stands as a beacon of hope, resilience, and the power of collaboration between UNICEF, Nigerian Government, the Government of Canada, IHS Towers and the Government of Rivers State to address the gap in medical infrastructure.
Munduate stated that the plant will significantly boost the capacity of Eleme General Hospital and surrounding healthcare facilities to provide life-saving medical oxygen, and ensure that medical oxygen is readily available and accessible, reducing dependency on external supplies and ensuring that emergencies are swiftly and effectively managed.
She thanked Governor Siminalayi Fubara for his unwavering dedication to improving healthcare in Rivers State and requested that the state government employ and deploy skilled healthcare professionals to the newly established level two newborn unit which is in the facility.
Meanwhile State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Oreh said the facility was built by the United Nations Children’s Fund in partnership with the Federal Government the Canadian Government and IHS Towers.
She pointed out that the facility is the first medical grade oxygen plant for the use of not just the people of Rivers State but people of the neighbouring States of the South-South and the South-East of the country.
Dr. Oreh noted that the oxygen plant has the capacity to produce up to 135 cylinders of oxygen in a 24 hour period which translates to 720,000 liters of oxygen produced by the plant on a daily basis and commended the donors as their efforts align with the commitment of Governor Fubara in improving the health sector.
“It also means that 100 children with severe pneumonia can receive oxygen from this plant to save their lives and up to 50 to 60 adults with severe respiratory illness such as COVID-19 can benefit from the oxygen that is produced on a daily basis from this plant.”

Kevin Nengia