President Emmerson Mnangagwa is this Thursday expected to officially commission the multi-million dollar medical oxygen and industrial gas plant at Feruka in Mutare.
The oxygen plant was established by Verify Engineering (VE) located at Feruka Oil Refinery in the eastern border town of Mutare with the aid of Indian engineers and the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT).
Mnangagwa was initially set to open the plant last Saturday but his helicopter was forced to return to Harare after failing to land in Mutare due to thick fog.
In an interview with State media, Minister of Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Professor Amon Murwira, said the plant will enable the country to meet its oxygen requirements. Said Murwira:
All is set for the launch by President Mnangagwa tomorrow (today). This is a technology and development entity under the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary, which will be processing medical and industrial gases.
The plant is now done and we are looking forward to the production of nitrogen and oxygen.
The oxygen plant will among other needs, meet the demand for hospital oxygen in intensive care units, especially by critically ill COVID-19 patients.