Delivering reliable, cost-effective, live-saving medical oxygen to health facilities in Kenya

Country: Kenya © Joseph Roy

Canada’s partnership with Grand Challenges Canada (GCC) has had a transformative effect in low- and middle-income countries by improving access to consistent, quality supplies of medical oxygen. For example, with funding from Canada, GCC has supported Hewatele Limited, a Kenyan social enterprise. This support has enabled Hewatele to cost-effectively produce and deliver medical oxygen to 185 health-care facilities across Kenya using a unique public-private partnership model.

Hewatele’s for-profit oxygen production plants partner with governments to supply individual health facilities and catchment areas with medical oxygen, while an associated NGO arm provides relevant training on oxygen therapy and equipment to health-care providers. To date, 18,547 women and children have received oxygen in the facilities served by Hewatele, resulting in 8,784 lives saved and an additional 9,841 lives improved.

As part of the Kenyan Ministry of Health’s national preparedness and response plan for the COVID‑19 pandemic, Hewatele has been asked to provide medical oxygen for high-volume COVID‑19 treatment and isolation facilities in Nakuru and Nairobi counties. With the help of funding from Canada, GCC is enabling Hewatele to deliver on this request and respond to the demand for oxygen due to the spread of COVID‑19.

Project profile — Innovation Platform for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health