Malawian nurses who are living in the United Kingdom have donated 11 oxygen cylinders to Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in support of the treatment of Covid-19 patients at the referral hospital.

KCH hospital administrator Dr Jonathan Ngoma confirmed the development, while appreciating the generous gesture as oxygen is key in treating coronavirus patients. According to Ngoma, a cylinder that normally lasts 48 hours, lasts eight hours only when used to assist Covid-19 patients, hence the call for more help.

“Since we do not know how long Covid-19 will be around, and we do not know how many patients will come to the hospital very sick and in need of oxygen, we still need support from well-wishers.” he said.

In similar news, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (Qech) launched its oxygen plant last week, aimed at supplying enough oxygen to wards at reduced cost, hence ably attending to the Covid-19 patients. Qech Director, Samson Mndolo, hailed the oxygen plant, considering that the coronavirus pandemic calls for a constant supply of oxygen.

“Covid-19 patients need more oxygen than others. We need to supply more oxygen because Covid-19 patients always need intensive care. We also need more oxygen regulators to supply to all wards,” he said.