The Wellos finally made it!! Talked to Peter today. As you can see from these pictures, he is now out and about, though still gets winded if he pushes himself. His appetite is back (I’d say he lost about 15 pounds). Now that he feels better, he has re-involved himself with our projects and things are moving along. Tom Hunt (of Medic Malawi), Peter and I have agreed to purchase up to 16 10L/min oxygen concentrators after research including consultation with a friend’s MSF colleagues in Baghdad convinced us that we could accomplish (and afford) provision of 16L/min O2 flow by hooking up 2 10L/min concentrators (the concentrators are billed as 10L/min but actually average only about 8L/min flow). 15 L/min is all that is necessary to provide adequate flow for a nonrebreather mask, and this solution is just as effective in providing sufficient flow as O2 directly form an oxygen cylinder. The oxygen concentrators cost about $2,000USD apiece, while an oxygen tank refilling system would have cost between $130,000-276,000USD; not possible without Bill Gates! BUT fortunately, also not necessary. We have been assured that there is sufficient power available to make all 16 at KDH, 2 at SAH, and 2 at K2TASO work.
