By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri

GOVERNOR Babagana Zulum of Borno State has inaugurated two oxygen plants with 23 solar-powered refrigerators donated by the Japanese government. The oxygen supply project will directly benefit about 7.1 million people, including children and women in 27 councils of the state. Inaugurating the twin plants, yesterday, Zulum, represented by his deputy, Usman Kadafur, said the oxygen plants with solar-powered refrigerators are located in State Specialists Hospitals Maiduguri and Biu local government area, which will strengthen healthcare delivery system in the conflict areas of Borno. “We’ll continue to accord priority to the development and sustenance of healthcare infrastructural facilities to save more life,” he said.

Unfolding the importance of oxygen, the United Nations Office for Project Services, UNOPS, Project Supervisor, Engr. Atinuke Fakunle, said that it will strengthen healthcare provision and build resilience of health systems in conflict and hard-to-reach communities. Besides, she added that this intervention will enable primary healthcare facilities to provide acceptable standards of medical care in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. She noted that the activities will seek to address the increasing vulnerability and mortality due to COVID-19, compounded by the insurgency in Borno. According to her, the oxygen plants in Maiduguri and Biu, will expand vaccine storage capacity of health centres to increase child health and management of diseases affecting children under five.

On the importance of oxygen supplies, she reiterated that the twin plants in Maiduguri and Biu, will increase production of oxygen in the state in treating acute respiratory complications. She added that it will also scale up the vaccination coverage with an efficient vaccine storage and cooling system. “The objectives and desired outcome of these projects is to strengthen healthcare provision, build resilience of health systems in conflict-affected and hard to reach communities, and enable primary healthcare facilities to provide acceptable standards of medical care in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.”