UNOPS and the Ministry of Health have formalized a $13.5 million partnership financed by the World Bank for the procurement and installation of oxygen plants in hospitals throughout Ethiopia. This project will enhance healthcare delivery, improve emergency preparedness, and provide economic benefits, ensuring that medical facilities can offer consistent and high-quality care to patients.

The establishment of an Oxygen Plant in Ethiopian hospitals is beyond meeting the critical health care needs, but it also decreases the dependency on imports which is cost-effective. The establishment and maintenance of these plants will also lead to job creation, skills transfer, and other economic benefits at a local level.

Under this agreement, UNOPS will oversee the procurement of state-of-the-art oxygen generation and supply equipment, ensuring that the system meets the highest standards of quality, safety, and efficiency.UNOPS will also manage the installation and integration of the system into health facilities, ensuring seamless and timely execution of the project.

Ms. Worknesh Mekonnen, Director of the Multi-Country Office of UNOPS and Representative to the AU, said ”We are excited to partner with the Ministry of Health on this critical project. The demand for oxygen supply systems has grown, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This partnership ensures that we are not only meeting current needs but are also preparing for future demands in healthcare and industrial sectors”.

The installation will begin effective immediately and will be completed by December 2025 aims to have fully operational oxygen systems across all targeted facilities, improving the capacity and reliability of oxygen delivery.