We’ve made Transformative Investments to strengthen Oxygen Ecosystem in Nigeria – NACA DG, Temitope Ilori

..as FG donates oxygen plants, other medical equipment to Osun

The federal government has disclosed that it has made transformative investments to strengthen the oxygen ecosystem in the country under the Global Fund C-19RM/HIV grant being coordinated by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA).

These interventions, according to the FG has significantly enhanced the nation’s ability to respond to medical oxygen and respiratory care (MORC); and other critical medical emergencies.

This is even as the FG donated medical equipment to Osun state through global fund-supported oxygen initiative.

The Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr. Temitope Ilori made the disclosure in Osogbo, Osun State capital, during inauguration of the Global Fund-Supported Oxygen and other Health Products Investments in the state.

According to her, 12 cryogenic/liquid oxygen (LOX) tanks of 10,000 litres each were procured and installed for the storage of medical-grade cryogenic/liquid oxygen (LOX) in selected Federal Tertiary Hospitals across the six (6) geo-political zones in Nigeria.

She revealed that 2 out of the 12 LOX tanks have been procured and installed at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos and University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan currently awaiting flushing and filling with medical-grade liquid oxygen to ensure accessibility, availability, affordability, quality and safe use of medical-grade cryogenic oxygen for boosting reliable oxygen supply for critical and emergency care in the South West geo-political zone in Nigeria.

Speaking on the intervention made in the southwestern Nigeria in general and Osun state in particular, Dr. Ilori said Osun State has received one of the most comprehensive oxygen system investments in the South West zone with strengthened infrastructure at the OAUTH, the State Hospital Management Board, and expanded medical-grade oxygen production capacity at Asubiaro and Iwo.

She added that Osun has been equipped and set to deliver affordable, accessible, available more dependable, and equitable medical-grade oxygen therapy services.

“Through these sustained partnership and targeted investments, I am of opinion that Osun State has recorded exceptional progress in expanding critical care infrastructure. Our tertiary and secondary health facilities are now better equipped to manage respiratory illnesses, severe COVID-19 cases, pediatric emergencies, and other life-threatening conditions requiring oxygen therapy.

“Between 2021 and 2023, the Global Fund supported the rehabilitation of 22 Oxygen PSA Plants across 17+1 states. Building on this momentum, from 2023 to date, an additional 73 PSA Plants were procured through local and WAMBO-supported procurements. Furthermore, 12 cryogenic/liquid oxygen (LOX) tanks of 10,000 litres each were procured and installed for the storage of medical-grade cryogenic/liquid oxygen (LOX) in selected Federal Tertiary Hospitals across the six (6) geo-political zones in Nigeria.

“Finalized Procurement, Installation, Training and Maintenance of Oxygen PSA Plant at the Osun State Government Hospital (OSGH), Asubiaro, Osogbo, Osun State. Finalized Procurement, Installation, Training and Maintenance of Oxygen PSA Plant at the State Hospital, Iwo, Osun State were donated to Osun. To enhance long-term sustainability of these donations by the GF, a National Training of Trainers (NToTs) Programme was held during the 2nd quarter (i.e. April – May) of 2025 to equip 40 Biomedical Engineers (BMEs) and local technical staff selected from our various tertiary health facilities across the six (6) geo-political zones with the requisite technical know-how and expertise to carry out both immediate and long-term sustainable maintenance and management of the Oxygen PSA Plants in Nigeria”, she added.

Dr. Ilori said the agency has made several impacts by ensuring steady, reliable supply of medical oxygen across tertiary and secondary care facilities.

“We have improved clinical outcomes for patients with pneumonia, respiratory distress, COVID-19, obstetric complications, and severe sepsis and we have significantly enhanced intensive care, emergency response, and high-dependency care capacity. What have strengthened diagnostic and monitoring capability using modern biomedical equipment and expanded neonatal and paediatric oxygen therapy services statewide and we have equally boosted public health emergency preparedness and resilience”, Ilori stated.

Intimating Nigerians to the agency’s efforts on HIV AIDS, Dr. Ilori said about 2-million Nigerians are currently living with HIV AIDS in Nigeria and about 1.7million of them are on treatment receiving drugs at government hospital free of charge across the country while testing are ongoing across the nation.

She said: “We are on the track to achieve the global target. We are doing well and we have been able to sustain the gains we have recorded thus far.”

Some of the medical equipment donated are: 50 large oxygen cylinders, 70 small oxygen cylinders, 12 hand-held pulse oximeter, 90 oxygen cylinders (Large), 135 oxygen cyliders (Small), 4 table-top pulse oximeter, 72 handheld pulse oximeter, 30 oxygen concentrators, 30 UPS for Oxygen Concentrators, 30 Oxygen Analyzer all donated at Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ila Orangun.

Others are: 7 Flow splitters, 30 oxygen regulators, 100 oxygen flow meters, 100 humidifiers, 33 nasal canullas [Paediatric], 16 nasal canullas [Neonates], 345 Nasal canullas [Adult], 1 oxygen PSA plant procurement, installation, training and maintenance project completed, commissioned and already handed over to the State, 1 oxygen PSA plant procurement, installation, training and maintenance project completed, commissioned and already handed over to the State – all donated to Osun State Hospitals Management Board (HMB), 1 oxygen regulator, 1 max O2 ME oxygen analyzer, 30 foam packing, 20 adult, finger sensor/patient monitor, 20 paediatric finger sensor patient monitor, 15 multi-reusable pulse monitor, 20 hand- held pulse oximeter, 2 oxygen sensor, 15 rainbow set donated to Obafemi Awolowo University
Teaching Hospital (OAUTH),
Ile – Ife.