WHO Warns Of Shortage Of Oxygen Concentrators As COVID-19 Spikes

The world should brace itself for a shortage of oxygen concentrators according to the World Organization which has warned that with the spiraling number of COVID-19 cases comes the demand of oxygen cylinders.

COVID-19 cases were estimated to hit 10 million marks and with the cases still rising, it is evident why WHO feels the World should be worried by oxygen concentrators often required by symptomatic COVID-19 patients

“Many countries are now experiencing difficulties obtaining oxygen concentrators,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference adding that demand is currently outstripping the supply.

The World has so far confirmed 9.3 million COVID-19 cases and 480,000 of those have died and worryingly, an estimated 1 million people are still testing positive every week with oxygen demand rising to 88,000 large cylinders per day or 620,000 cubic meters.

Raising the concern, WHO’s Dr.Tedros said the amount of concentrators required is becoming unachievable and countries ought to work harder on fighting the virus spread.

WHO has purchased 14,000 oxygen concentrators from manufacturers and plans to send them to 120 countries in the coming weeks according to Tedros who added that 170,000 more concentrators worth $100 million will be available in the next six months.

The warning of scarce oxygen concentrators comes at a time when the Kenyan Ministry of Health continues to announce higher numbers of COVID-19.

A few weeks ago, the Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi urged health facilities that were hoarding oxygen cylinders to release them to the Ministry of Health to save lives.

The high demand for oxygen concentrators places patients who suffer from respiratory diseases in grave danger even as the country can only hope that it will among the countries WHO will consider donating to.

As per 24th June 2020 COVID-19 updates, Kenya has  5,206 confirmed cases,  130 of whom have died while 1,823 have recovered which leave 3,252 as the active cases that would require oxygen if need be.