Nepal’s Lumbini Province strengthens O2 generation capacity

Two new oxygen generation plants came into operation in Lumbini Provincial Hospital in Lumbini Province and Janakpur Provincial Hospital in Nepal. These plants financed by the World Bank are part of a long-term solution for augmenting Nepal’s capacities for a stronger response to the pandemic and boost self-reliance of provincial hospitals to meet the needs of therapeutic oxygen. The oxygen plants were procured, installed, and will be operated and maintained fully for a period of three years by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) under the World Bank-financed COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project, which also financed 1,000 units of 10-liter oxygen concentrators distributed to peripheral health facilities across the country in June 2021. The plants will ensure uninterrupted supply of high-quality medical oxygen through the central medical gas pipeline system to hospital facilities, where installed. Additionally, the oxygen can also be used to fill at least 24 46.7-liter cylinders for emergency back-up and supply to peripheral hospitals or ambulance use.