Rwanda has purchased medical equipment including oxygen generators and cylinders to triple up production and be prepared in the event there is demand for more oxygen. 

The first batch, which is expected to raise production capacity in the country by 40 per cent, arrived this week with two more expected July-August, which will cost Rwf4.3bn.

Currently, the functioning public oxygen plants produce 784 tanks (50L) per day and the target is to produce 2,300 per day.

"The ones that have arrived have been deployed at Kigali Covid treatment centres and one in Kinihira, and the rest will be deployed in other treatment centres across the country,” said Dr. Daniel Ngamije, Minister of Health.

He assured the public that there is no shortage of oxygen in the country despite the upsurge in cases.

"Whoever needs oxygen is able to access it. This is just a matter of anticipation of any scenario of increased oxygen demand.”

Public and private hospitals can access the produced oxygen for their respective patients at all levels of the healthcare system, including surgery, trauma, heart failure, asthma, pneumonia and maternal and child care.

According to Rwanda Biomedical Centre, oxygen suppliers to Rwanda are Oxymat, Inmatec, Airsep, Craft, Amico.

Among the identified key barriers to safe provision of oxygen therapy to patients were lack of cylinders, lack of pulse oximetry devices and vital signs monitors.

Globally, the demand of oxygen has increased due to Covid-19 with patients in critical conditions depending on machine aided respiration.