(CMR) The Health Services Authority (HSA) has announced the successful installation of a new on-site oxygen generator at the Cayman Islands Hospital. The oxygen generator provides a discharge flow rate of 2,100 lbs. per day (or 500 liters per minute) of medical grade oxygen and is expected to save the Authority over $150,000 per annum.
HSA’s CEO Lizzette Yearwood said, “Medical oxygen has become one of the most important life-saving commodities in the fight against COVID-19. Statistics show that approximately 20 percent of patients who are treated for symptoms of COVID-19 will require oxygen therapy to prevent respiratory failure. Pure oxygen is also an essential resource in our operating room for procedures requiring anesthesia and in the intensive care and neonatal units.”
The installation of this generator mitigates a potential national security risk associated with insufficient local medical oxygen caused by disruptions to international supply chains. The emergence of COVID-19 has led to global shortages, instances of price gouging, and an increase in black markets, creating scarcity and delayed access in many jurisdictions.
Before the installation of the new oxygen generator, the HSA sourced medical-grade oxygen through a local vendor.
HSA’s Board Chairman, Osbourne Bodden, stated, “The global COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the pressing need for the Cayman Islands, as an isolated geographic location, to ensure self-sustainability in the delivery of uninterrupted patient care, operational efficiency, and financial sustainability. The installation of this oxygen generator builds further resiliency in the operation of our main hospital and will help to keep our people safe.”
The manufacturing company has a long waiting list of states and countries seeking to procure their own oxygen generator. Due to the fast and proactive actions of the HSA and its partnership with several local and overseas agencies, it was able to secure the plant and ensure it was delivered on island and installed in a timely manner.
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