The Lagos State Government revealed that it uses 400 oxygen cylinders daily on severe patients since the 3rd wave broke out in the state.
This was disclosed by Governor Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday at the Lagos House, Ikeja, during a news conference on the state’s management of COVID-19.
The Governor revealed that the state invested in Lagos State BioBank to sequence positive cases for more service delivery, citing that 400 oxygen cylinders daily was an increase over the 75 cylinders utilised by severe COVID-19 cases.
”Sequencing allows us to identify the predominant strains of the COVID-19 virus in our environment and provides us with information on how to better respond to the pandemic.
”In terms of treatment of the more severe cases, let me say a few things specifically about the use of oxygen, which is a vital requirement for the management of the most severe cases.
”We have indeed seen a gradual increase in the uptake of oxygen during this pandemic, from the utilisation of 75 cylinders per day at the beginning of this third wave, to over 400 cylinders per day, currently.
”With our modelling suggesting that we may be requiring even more oxygen supply over the next few weeks, we are exploring several ways of increasing our oxygen capacity, including partnering with the private sector,” he said.
The Governor also added that Lagos currently utilizes at the IDH in Yaba and in Gbagada, and was also planning on building 2 more oxygen plants.
Sanwo-Olu said that at the moment, the state had two functioning oxygen plants, at the IDH in Yaba, and was planning to achieve an oxygen supply capacity of 1,000 cylinders per day in the state.
”Managing a pandemic of this nature and scale is not and will never be an easy endeavour,” he said.
”It is costly and requires hard work and commitment from a wide range of stakeholders and partners, sacrificing their time and energy and resources on multiple fronts to slow down the virus, and eventually to tame it.”
