In Pics | Coronavirus pandemic: Long-shut factory now helps Afghans breathe free Afghanistan has struggled with shortages of medical oxygen. The country gets oxygen cylinders from abroad. Until recently, imports were halted due to sealed borders.
July 02, 2020 / 06:04 PM IST
The increasing number of coronavirus cases in Afghanistan has created a dearth of oxygen concentrators needed for coronavirus patients suffering from respiratory distress. The country gets its oxygen cylinders from abroad. But amid the pandemic restriction, the borders are sealed leading to a halt in imports. But thanks to Najibullah Seddiqi, people there have now can refill oxygen cylinders fro free. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
Patients are connected to oxygen tanks at the Afghan-Japan Communicable Disease Hospital, for COVID-19 patients in Kabul. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
Najibullah Seddiqi has closed his oxygen factory seven years ago because of the power cuts and rampant corruption that made difficult for him to get contracts with hospitals. But as the coronavirus raced through Afghanistan, he reopened his factory. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
A patient at the Afghan-Japan Communicable Disease Hospital for COVID-19 patients in Kabul. Afghan media reported last week that several COVID-19 patients died in government hospitals due to shortages of medical oxygen, though the government denied the reports. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
With people stockpiling oxygen cylinder, the price to refill a canister have skyrocketed. However, Seddiqi gave a helping hand to Afghanis by giving free refills to many hit by the virus. People line up for free oxygen at a privately owned oxygen factory, in Kabul. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
His factory refills 200 to 300 small cylinders a day free for COVID-19 patients. For hospitals and retail sellers, he fills close to 700 large cylinders a day for 300 Afghanis each, or $3.80. A man carries an oxygen tank from a privately-owned oxygen factory in Kabul. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
Seddiqi’s factory is one of six in Kabul that produces oxygen — but his is the only one giving free refills. A man tests oxygen at a privately-owned oxygen factory in Kabul. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
A man attending to his father at the Afghan-Japan Communicable Disease Hospital for COVID-19 patients, in Kabul. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
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