Kenyan billionaire, Narendra Raval, the proprietor of Devki Steel Mills has pledged Sh100 million to aid in the supply of oxygen to hospitals across the country to help coronavirus patients.
“I hereby confirm the pledge to donate oxygen up to Sh100 million to all government hospitals throughout the country,” Mr Raval said in a letter to the Ministry of Health.
He asked the ministry to collect the funds from the mills’ three plants in Athi River, Ruiru and Mombasa.
He becomes the first Kenyan billionaire to contribute towards the private sector-led Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund set up by President Uhuru Kenyatta early this week to contain the impact of the virus on Kenyans and the economy.
The donation came as two more Kenyans succumbed to the pangs of COVID-19 on Thursday while 29 others tested positive bringing the total number of those who have tested positive to 110.
Among those who died is a senior pilot with Kenya Airways and a 68-year-old Kenya Ports Authority employee.
MOH holds that a constant supply of oxygen is critical in the treatment of COVID-19 patients as they experience breathing difficulty.
Already, BOC has put out a notice that it was in urgent need of 20,000 oxygen cylinders to enable it to bolster the supply of oxygen in hospitals.
