African states face acute shortages of oxygen supplies and ICU beds
Covid-19 related deaths surged by 43pc driven by a lack of proper therapeutics and oxygen and over the past month, Africa recorded an additional one million cases. PHOTO | AFP
Massive desolation continues to engulf populations of at least 10 African countries for a fifth week running, in the wake of poor medical responses and a biting oxygen shortage.
WHO regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti said that hospital admissions for severely ill Covid-19 patients had reached unprecedented levels in about 10 countries; at least six countries were facing shortages in intensive care unit beds and medical oxygen even though their supply had increased to 50 percent higher than at the same time in 2020, leading to preventable deaths.
