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Oxygen Access Scale Up
Medical oxygen is lifesaving and an essential medicine. It can be used at all levels of the health system and is crucial for the treatment of COVID-19 and other life-threatening conditions such as severe pneumonia, severe malaria, sepsis (from bacteria and viruses), trauma and complications of birth or pregnancy. It is essential to ensure safe surgical, emergency and critical care services. These are just a few examples, of the many conditions for which oxygen is life-saving. Unlike other medicines, it doesn't have a substitute.
Although vast work has been done in the medical oxygen ecosystem over the years, especially in its safe production and clinical use, it remains limited in its access and availability in many countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted this inequity.
Only a strong and collaborative action can scale up access and availability to oxygen quickly. That is why WHO, together with other global entities, have joined efforts to find context appropriate, sustainable solutions.
Operational guidance
19 November 2020
Priority medical devices list for the COVID-19 response and associated technical specifications
This document describes the medical devices required for the clinical management of COVID-19, selected and prioritized according to the...
Access the tool:Biomedical equipment for COVID-19 case management: toolUse and content Countries can use this tool to collect in-depth facility inventories...
Oxygen is an essential medicine required at all levels of the health care system; only high quality, medical-grade oxygen should be given to patients. ...
This interim guidance on oxygen sources and distribution strategies for COVID-19 treatment has been adapted from WHO and UNICEF’s technical specifications...
Infographics
27 January 2022
Care, cleaning and disinfection of BiPAP/CPAP devices
Bilevel or two-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP). Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) During non-invasive ventilation and between patients Always...
27 January 2022
Care, cleaning and disinfection of high flow nasal cannula
During non-invasive ventilation and between patientsAlways read and follow the instructions and recommendations of the manufacturer`s manualConsumables...
27 January 2022
Care, cleaning and disinfection of oxygen concentrators
Consumables associated with oxygen delivery are generally intended as single use devices. They should be treated as infectious1 material and disposed...
During ventilation and between patientsAlways read and follow the instructions and recommendations of the manufacturer`s manual Consumables associated...
During monitoring and between patients Always read and follow the instructions and recommendations of the manufacturer`s manual The device must be...
28 December 2021
Checklists for care, cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of respiratory devices
This collection of posters are intended for health care workers, biomedical engineers and staff of health facilities in charge of caring, cleaning, decontaminating...
This collection of posters are intended for health care workers, biomedical engineers and staff of health facilities in charge of caring, cleaning, decontaminating...
28 December 2021
Care, cleaning and disinfection of respiratory equipment in sterile services department
This collection of posters are intended for health care workers, biomedical engineers and staff of health facilities in charge of caring, cleaning, decontaminating...
29 April 2021
Oxygen Cylinder Safety
This poster is intended for health workers and other personnel on the safety and mitigation measures that need to be adhered to when dealing with medical...
29 April 2021
Medical Gas Piping Systems Safety
This poster is intended for health workers and other personnel on the safety and mitigation measures that need to be adhered to when dealing with medical...
29 April 2021
Medical Oxygen Fire Risk – Mitigation Measures
This poster is intended for health workers and other personnel on the safety and mitigation measures that need to be adhered to when dealing with medical...
Clinical guidelines
All →
27 May 2020
Clinical management of COVID-19
This guidance document is intended for clinicians caring for COVID-19 patients during all phases of their disease (i.e. screening to discharge). ...
1 October 2016
Oxygen therapy for children
Hypoxaemia is a major contributor to child deaths that occur worldwide each year; for a child with pneumonia hypoxaemia increases the risk of death by...