Private equity firm AfricInvest is to invest $10.5m in Kenyan medical oxygen provider HewaTele to scale domestic production of liquid oxygen.

The investment, through the firm’s Transform Health Fund, will support the construction and operations of the new plant, including procurement of essential equipment.

Access to medical oxygen remains one of the most pressing but under-addressed challenges in East Africa’s health systems. In Kenya alone, over 70% of existing Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants are either non-operational or producing oxygen at purity levels far below the World Health Organization’s 90% minimum standard for medical use.

This critical gap undermines hospitals’ ability to treat respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia – the seventh leading cause of death in the country – as well as to safely conduct surgery and emergency interventions.

Meanwhile, the region remains reliant on imports, leaving supply chains vulnerable to shocks and price volatility.

HewaTele is tackling this challenge by constructing a large-scale liquid oxygen (LOX) production facility in Kenya based on Air Separation Unit (ASU) technology.

Once operational, the plant will produce oxygen at 99.6% purity in line with international medical standards, ensuring a reliable supply for hospitals and clinics across the region.

By reducing logistical and operational barriers, the company is making medical-grade oxygen more consistently available and affordable, especially for health facilities in underserved areas.

Noorin Mawani and Faisal Jiwa, Co-Leads of the Transform Health Fund, said, “Oxygen is a cornerstone of effective healthcare – from emergency response and surgical care to treatment for newborns and respiratory illnesses. We believe this investment will deliver meaningful impact by strengthening health system resilience and expanding access to care for underserved communities.”