A new oxygen production plant has been inaugurated at Yirgalem Hospital Medical College in Sidama Regional State. The launch was attended by the regional state’s chief administrator Desta Ledamo and Health Minister Mekdes Daba (PhD). Desta noted that a new kidney dialysis centre will soon be opened as well. Mekdes stated that the Ministry is working to increase the number of oxygen production facilities from the current 10 to 34 nationwide. The Yirgalem plant cost 86 million Br to build and has the capacity to produce 60 cubic metres of oxygen per hour or 1,440 cubic metres per day. This production translates to 192 large 50-litre oxygen cylinders daily. A third of the production capacity is expected to be utilized by Yirgalem Hospital with the remaining two-thirds to be distributed to other health facilities in the regional state and beyond.