The Evangelical Medical Institute of Kimpese, located in the Kongo Central province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, recently inaugurated a medical oxygen production plant. This project was made possible with financial support from the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), an organization committed to improving access to health care in developing countries.
The medical oxygen production plant in Kimpese reinforces the efforts made by the Congolese government and its partners to realize the Universal Health Coverage project, a vision supported by President Félix Tshisekedi. Indeed, a survey conducted in 2018 revealed that only 6% of healthcare establishments in the Democratic Republic of Congo had medical oxygen. Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, this availability was increased to 33%. The inauguration of this new factory therefore responds to an urgent need to strengthen the provision of medical care in the region.
The Kimpese medical oxygen production plant is part of the national roadmap aimed at generalizing access to medical oxygen and pulse oximeters in healthcare establishments in the province and the district of cataracts, thus contributing to improving the quality of health services in the region. In addition, the construction of this factory is the result of a fruitful partnership between IME Kimpese and CHAI-DRC, demonstrating the commitment of these actors to the promotion of health in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This new medical oxygen production plant in Kimpese joins other similar installations acquired by the country the previous year, both in the capital and across certain provinces. These factories have a production capacity ranging from 53 to 80 bottles per day, with a pressure of more than 200 bars. They thus contribute to meeting the medical oxygen needs of beneficiary hospitals, as well as surrounding health structures.
The inauguration of this medical oxygen production plant in Kimpese constitutes a major advance in the field of health in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It demonstrates the commitment of the Congolese government and its partners to improving access to health care for all citizens. Thanks to this new infrastructure, many patients will be able to receive the necessary care, thus helping to save lives and promote health in the Kongo Central region.