Kenyan Oxygen Maker to Double Production as COVID-19 Fuels Demand

NAIROBI - Kenya's oxygen production firm Hewatele is doubling production this year to keep up with surging demand from hospitals that are treating critically ill COVID-19 patients, the company said.   

Demand for the commodity has more than doubled to 880 tons from 410 tons before the pandemic, the Ministry of Health said, causing a steep shortage due to lack of installed capacity.    The East African nation is confronting a severe fourth wave of COVID-19 infections that is putting pressure on health facilities.    "This country doesn't have capacity to put 2,000 patients under high flow oxygen at the same time. We need to do something urgently," said Bernard Olayo, founder of the company.