HewaTele Secures $10.5M to Revolutionize Medical Oxygen Supply in East Africa
HewaTele, a leading Kenyan medical oxygen supplier, has successfully raised $10.5 million from AfricInvest’s Transform Health Fund (THF). This substantial investment is earmarked for the construction of a large-scale liquid oxygen production facility and to significantly expand the availability of medical-grade oxygen across the East African region. This financing, structured as a senior secured bridge facility, will specifically fund the development and equipment of a new Air Separation Unit (ASU)-based plant in Kenya, marking a pivotal moment for healthcare infrastructure in the area.
Challenges and Solutions: Bridging the Oxygen Gap
The securing of this funding directly addresses a critical shortage of medical oxygen that has long plagued East Africa’s healthcare system. Many facilities struggle with insufficient supply, impacting essential services from pneumonia treatment to surgical procedures and emergency care. A significant challenge in Kenya, for instance, is that over 70% of existing Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants are either non-operational or produce oxygen below the required standards, severely limiting hospitals’ capacity to provide adequate patient care. HewaTele, having previously operated PSA plants, is now strategically transitioning to advanced liquid oxygen (LOX) technology. Once operational, their new ASU plant will produce oxygen at an impressive 99.6% purity, well exceeding the World Health Organization’s benchmark of 90%. This high-purity production capability is set to significantly stabilize regional medical oxygen supply chains, drastically reducing the current heavy reliance on expensive and often unreliable imports. The expansion of this crucial medical resource will bolster East African healthcare systems, making life-saving oxygen more accessible.
This investment underscores the growing focus on health tech solutions within the African continent. HewaTele’s expansion is not just a business development; it’s a vital step towards enhancing public health resilience and ensuring critical medical supplies are readily available for millions across East Africa, fundamentally transforming healthcare delivery in the region.
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