Coronavirus: Uganda to refill 25,000 medical oxygen cylinders daily

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni announced plans to start refilling 25,000 oxygen cylinders daily to meet the rising demand from coronavirus patients.

Mr Museveni was speaking Friday at the country's national prayers against the coronavirus pandemic held at State House Entebbe.

The President said regional and national referral hospitals will refill the cylinders through installed oxygen plants to keep pace with the novel coronavirus patients.

Uganda is facing a nationwide medical oxygen shortage due to a surge in the number of coronavirus patients in High Dependency Units and Intensive Care Units.

"Right now the numbers (of Covid-19 patients) is more than triple than our production," said Diana Atwine, permanent secretary at the ministry of health.

On June 16, the World Health Organization and the country's health ministry announced plans to import medical oxygen as a virulent second wave of the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate the country.