US government donates oxygen equipment for Ghana COVID-19 response
Days after the United States (US) government has donated over 1.2 million Moderna vaccines to Ghana, the Embassy in Accra has made another donation of oxygen generating equipment to help Ghana’s COVID-19 response efforts.
According to a press release from the US Embassy in Accra copied to Ghana Business News, the US Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan announced the donation today September 9, 2021.
The release indicated that the donation, includes oxygen generation equipment which will support critical care patients nationwide and equipment to help in the treatment of infectious disease.
The donations were made by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Department of Defense, respectively, the release said.
“The package of oxygen support systems will enable Ghana to provide life-saving care for COVID-19 patients, as well as build capacity for future medical needs,” the release noted.
In her remarks, the US Ambassador, Ms Sullivan, reiterated the close partnership between the United States and Ghana.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us important lessons. No nation can act alone in the face of a pandemic. It is not enough to put an end to the pandemic; together, it is important to build back a better world, one that is more prepared to prevent, detect, and respond to future biological threats, and where all people can live safe and healthy lives,” she said
The donations include four oxygen plants, each with the capacity to produce 250 liters 
of oxygen per minute, enough for approximately 25 severely ill patients per day. In addition to the oxygen plant at the Ghana Infectious Disease Center, an oxygen plant has already been delivered to Cape Coast Municipal Hospital, and two additional plants will be delivered to Kumasi South Hospital and Tamale West Hospital.
The USAID will also donate 28 high-flow, high-pressure oxygen concentrators to provide life-saving oxygen at healthcare facilities across Ghana’s 16 regions. Each specialized concentrator can provide oxygen for three severely ill patients at a time. The package of oxygen support includes not only equipment, but also supplies of oxygen cylinders and pulse oximeters, and training health staff and engineers in the use and maintenance of the equipment, the release added.
The Ambassador further announced the donation of a negative pressure isolation system to the Ridge Hospital, Accra from the US Department of Defense’s Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid program.
The $1.5 million isolation system will provide critical care support for up to 30 COVID-19 patients, by isolating infectious patients to provide them safe care that prevents the spread of COVID-19 in a climate-controlled isolation area, it added.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi