Global Oxygen Crisis: Millions at Risk, and How We Can Solve It

A Global Oxygen Crisis: Millions at Risk and What We Can Do to Address It

Every year, approximately 374 million children and adults rely on medical oxygen to survive. This essential treatment often determines whether individuals with acute and chronic respiratory conditions live or die. Unfortunately, despite the rising demand for oxygen therapy, fewer than one in three people living in non-wealthy countries have access to this life-saving resource. This disparity between need and availability has contributed to an alarming global crisis—one that has only been intensified by the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A recent global report compiled by a team of researchers outlines a plan to tackle this oxygen shortage. The report highlights the critical role oxygen plays in both emergency care and chronic disease management. It presents a roadmap for improving oxygen production, storage, and distribution systems, particularly in low- and middle-income nations.

The Essential Role of Oxygen in Healthcare

Oxygen therapy is a cornerstone of modern medicine, having been used for over 150 years to save lives. It is crucial for patients experiencing emergencies, for those undergoing surgery with anesthesia, and for individuals with chronic respiratory failure. For many people, oxygen is not just a treatment—it is a lifeline that enables them to lead normal lives despite serious illnesses.

However, despite the recognized importance of oxygen, getting it to everyone who needs it has remained a persistent challenge. In certain regions, hospitals and healthcare facilities struggle with inadequate oxygen supplies and lack the infrastructure necessary for its effective distribution. Even where oxygen is available, challenges with storage, transport, and infrastructure can limit its accessibility to those most in need.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Exposes Oxygen Shortages

The COVID-19 pandemic brought the oxygen crisis into sharp focus, as many countries found themselves unable to provide enough oxygen to treat the surge of critically ill patients suffering from severe respiratory failure. During the pandemic’s peak, healthcare providers in many regions faced heartbreaking decisions, forced to prioritize care due to limited access to oxygen.

This crisis demonstrated how vital it is to have robust oxygen production and delivery systems in place. The scarcity of oxygen led to avoidable deaths, with healthcare workers forced to make impossible decisions about which patients would receive oxygen. The pandemic revealed that efforts to address the oxygen shortage in the past have often been insufficient, as they focused mainly on increasing oxygen production capacity while neglecting the systems needed to ensure its distribution, storage, and safe use.

A Comprehensive Plan to Address the Crisis

To address this global crisis, the report outlines a comprehensive plan with 52 key recommendations. These recommendations target governments, the oxygen industry, global health advocates, and healthcare professionals, urging them to take a more holistic approach to solving the problem. By improving collaboration between governments and the private sector and focusing on the necessary infrastructure for oxygen delivery, the world can work towards reducing the oxygen shortage.

A critical aspect of this plan involves increasing the availability of pulse oximeters—small, non-invasive devices that measure blood oxygen levels. These devices are essential for identifying patients who require oxygen therapy. However, studies have shown that pulse oximeters often fail to provide accurate readings in individuals with darker skin tones, which can delay treatment. To address this issue, the report calls for the development of high-quality pulse oximeters that are both affordable and widely available.

Currently, in low- and middle-income countries, pulse oximeters are only available in 54% of general hospitals and 83% of tertiary hospitals. Even in these institutions, shortages and equipment malfunctions are common. The availability of functional pulse oximeters is vital to ensuring that patients receive timely oxygen therapy.

The Role of Biomedical Engineers and Equipment Maintenance

Another significant challenge in addressing the oxygen crisis is the shortage of biomedical engineers, essential workers responsible for maintaining and repairing the medical equipment needed to provide oxygen therapy. Without enough trained engineers, hospitals are left with broken or malfunctioning equipment, which prevents the effective delivery of care.

The scarcity of biomedical engineers exacerbates the oxygen shortage, as healthcare facilities often struggle to repair or maintain their oxygen production systems. Proper maintenance of medical equipment is crucial to ensuring that oxygen therapy is available when needed most.

Community Education and Preventative Health

In addition to improving medical infrastructure and technology, the report stresses the importance of community education. Public awareness campaigns can teach both healthcare providers and communities about the proper use of medical oxygen, as well as the importance of preventive health measures.

Preventive health strategies such as vaccination, smoking cessation, pollution control, and encouraging healthy diets can reduce the need for oxygen therapy by addressing the root causes of respiratory diseases. Moreover, combating climate change and reducing air pollution are vital for improving respiratory health and reducing the number of individuals who require oxygen therapy.

Reducing the overall demand for oxygen by promoting preventative measures is just as critical as improving access to oxygen therapy itself. Efforts to prevent respiratory diseases can help alleviate the burden on healthcare systems and ensure that oxygen is available for those who truly need it.

The Path Forward: A Global Responsibility

The global oxygen crisis is not just a healthcare issue—it is a moral imperative. Millions of people rely on oxygen therapy to survive, but too many are being left behind due to limited access in low- and middle-income countries. This crisis is not just a problem for individual nations but requires a global response. Addressing the oxygen shortage demands immediate action to improve infrastructure, enhance technology, and strengthen healthcare systems.

Investing in oxygen production, storage, and distribution systems, as well as training healthcare workers and biomedical engineers, can help bridge the gap between the need for oxygen and its availability. Equally important is the need for greater access to pulse oximeters to ensure timely and accurate oxygen assessments, which could save countless lives.

The global health community must come together to implement the recommendations laid out in the report, ensuring that future generations do not have to face the same heart-wrenching decisions made during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. By working together, governments, healthcare providers, the oxygen industry, and global health advocates can tackle this crisis and save millions of lives.

Conclusion: Oxygen Therapy as a Global Imperative

The oxygen crisis is a public health emergency that cannot be ignored. Millions of people worldwide need access to medical oxygen to survive, yet many still face barriers to this life-saving treatment. As the demand for oxygen continues to rise, urgent action is required to improve access, infrastructure, and delivery systems in low- and middle-income countries. By addressing the oxygen shortage and investing in long-term solutions, we can ensure that more people receive the care they need and help alleviate the burden of respiratory diseases around the world.