By Abdi Sheikh

MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Somalia’s first public oxygen plant opened on Thursday, in a ray of hope for a country where a lifesaving treatment for the coronavirus has been largely unavailable to patients during the pandemic.

The COVID-19 epidemic has caused a surge in global demand for medical oxygen, and several countries are experiencing severe shortages.

A lack of medical oxygen and this make Africans more susceptible to death from COVID-19, according to The Lancet’s May study. The Lancet cited data taken from 64 hospitals from 10 different countries.

Hormuud Salaam Foundation purchased the Mogadishu plant for 282,000 euros ($240,700). It was imported from Turkey. Hormuud is the largest telecoms firm in the country.

The new plant will be placed at Banadir Maternity and Children Hospital. This foundation also funds the repair and renovation of the COVID-19 unit.

The hospital’s outer wall and wing were damaged in a July attack by Islamist al Shabaab militants who want to topple the government.

To produce medical oxygen, experts are required to manage and maintain the equipment. Reliable electricity and water supply are also required, something that Somalia’s public hospitals don’t have.

India was one of the countries that suffered from severe oxygen shortages as a result of COVID-19 epidemics. In India, families were forced to spend exorbitant amounts for cylinders.

Abdullahi Nur Osman (CEO of Hormuud) said that a cylinder of oxygen can cost around $50 in Somalia, but could run up to $400-500 at private hospitals due to the scarcity.

According to him, the oxygen will be free distributed in Mogadishu’s public hospitals.

The World Health Organization reported that Somalia had nearly 20,000 COVID-19 deaths as of Wednesday. But, these numbers could rise due to insufficient testing or unreported deaths.

($1 = 1.1714 euros) Only 1 percent of Somalia’s 15 million residents are fully vaccinated. This is due to inequalities in vaccine distribution, the World Health Organization says will lead to a prolonged pandemic that has already claimed almost 5 million victims.

($1 = 1.1714 euros)