BY Alex Adi
Oxygen is a Lifeline in the Fight Against Lassa Fever, and experts at the 2nd ECOWAS conference have put the spotlight on medical oxygen’s crucial role in managing infectious diseases. Advocates are pushing for oxygen infrastructure in West African health facilities, enhancing treatment and saving lives.
Oxygen remains the unsung hero in healthcare and the World Health Organization recognizes oxygen as a life-saving essential medicine, crucial for treating respiratory illnesses, surgeries, and trauma care. Yet, its complexity requires robust infrastructure. Medicinal oxygen is produced in an industrial process applying good manufacturing practices (GMP) or is generated on-site using oxygen concentrators, which are in much legislation regulated as medical devices.
Oxygen also requires a whole system to safely reach patients. West African health leaders meeting in Abidjan say, the need for medical oxygen infrastructure, is key, and is a critical lifeline in combating diseases like Lassa fever. A Biomedical Engineer, Mr. Kofi Asamoah has been speaking to GBC NEWS on this critical life saving intervention. Medical Oxygen remains a Complex Challenge. Availability, quality, affordability, and safety hurdles hinder access. ” A report assessment conducted by HEFRA indicates an 83.9 percent shortfalls of medical oxygen within healthcare facilities and projections by BKANK group projects a 90 percent shortfalls, a figure not too different from the data, and needs critical attention, he told GBC NEWS.
Mr. Kofi Owusu Asamoah highlighing Ghana’s significant gap in medical oxygen supply, called for a collaborative effort to bridge the divide and ensure timely treatment. ” As part of our commitment to strengthen our oxygen infrastructure and pandemic preparedness, which is a key priority for investment , we had a series of engagement with the West African Health Organization, WAHO, and Ghana’s Ministry of health to promote the installation of Oxygen infrastructure at all almost all health facilities” he said.
Ghana currently has some liquid oxygen infrastructure in some selected health facilities at Battor, LEKMA, Tema General Hospital, Yendi, Mampong and Nsawam hospitals. For the experts, this is not enough to handle critical care when there is an epidemic.
