If adopted and implemented, the World Health Organization’s draft resolution to increase access to medical oxygen will help save hundreds of thousands of lives.
At the end of January, WHO’s executive board announced its plan to introduce the Increasing Access to Medical Oxygen resolution for adoption at this year’s World Health Assembly. Although this received little fanfare outside of those working directly in respiratory care, it marks a significant milestone in global health efforts to address medical oxygen shortages in low- and middle-income countries.
No one, no matter where they live, should die from lack of oxygen, a condition we can diagnose easily, treat affordably, and prevent globally. Yet in many countries in Africa, Asia, and South America, a shortage of oxygen has created a health equity crisis. Almost half of the hospitals in LMICs have an inconsistent supply of medical oxygen or lack it entirely, while almost 9 in 10 health facilities do not have access to pulse oximeters needed to diagnose hypoxemia — the condition of having low blood oxygen levels.
About the authors
Zachary Katz
Zachary Katz is the vice president of essential medicines at Clinton Health Access Initiative, leading work on access to oxygen therapy to drastically reduce over 825,000 hypoxemia-related deaths annually. His team is also focused on improving care and treatment for diarrhea and pneumonia, which are among the leading causes of mortality for children under 5.
Robert Matiru
Robert Matiru is the director of programs at Unitaid. He’s responsible for a complex portfolio of health innovation investments. Robert also serves as chair of the ACT-A oxygen emergency task force, a coalition of global and regional health agencies, NGOs, foundations, and development partners working to mitigate medical oxygen shortages and build sustainable supplies for the future.
