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Quetta, An oxygen plant installed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at the Sheikh Zaid Bin Khalifa Hospital in Quetta, Balochistan, was inaugurated by Sardar Faisal Khan Jamali, Minister of Health, Balochistan. The event was attended by Ms. Kanni Wignaraja, Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific at UNDP, and Dr. Samuel Rizk, UNDP Pakistan Resident Representative.
According to United Nations Development Programme, the plant operates on Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) technology and is funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. It is part of a larger project to equip 36 hospitals across Pakistan with PSA-based oxygen plants, aiming to strengthen the healthcare system after the Covid-19 pandemic, which claimed more than 25,000 lives in Pakistan.
During the pandemic, Pakistan’s healthcare system faced significant challenges in meeting the demand for medical oxygen. The Common Management Unit (CMU) of the Ministry of Health requested UNDP’s support to install PSA plants to reduce reliance on external oxygen suppliers and enhance the capacity of public hospitals. This project covered site assessments, procurement, installation, training, and maintenance.
During the inauguration, Sardar Faisal Khan Jamali noted that the installation of the PSA plant is a crucial step in improving healthcare service delivery in Balochistan. He acknowledged the collaboration between the Government of Pakistan and UNDP, commending the introduction of cutting-edge technologies to improve health services in the province.
Ms. Wignaraja congratulated the Government of Balochistan for the successful installation, highlighting that the plant would boost the hospital’s capacity to respond to emergencies. Dr. Samuel Rizk emphasized that this initiative is part of a broader support package for the health sector in Balochistan, including hospital renovations and the provision of essential medical equipment in eight districts of the province. He reiterated UNDP’s commitment to continue collaborating with the Government of Balochistan to further strengthen the region’s healthcare infrastructure.