Koshi province hosts high-level meeting on advancing national oxygen roadmap

Biratnagar, Koshi province – As part of developing Nepal’s National Oxygen Roadmap, the Health Emergency Operation Center (HEOC) at the Ministry of Health and Population, with technical support from WHO Nepal and WHO South-East Asia Regional Office and catalytic funding from the Pandemic Fund, convened a provincial interaction meeting on oxygen preparedness in Biratnagar, Koshi Province. The meeting, held on 12 December 2025, brought together senior provincial and district officials, hospital leaders, oxygen producers and partners. Participants discussed lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic; the status and functionality of oxygen infrastructure, including pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plants; gaps in oxygen supply and emergency preparedness; and mechanisms for inter-provincial coordination during health crises. They emphasized the need to strengthen oxygen regulation, improve management of hospital-based oxygen plants and enhance emergency preparedness. The HEOC team also conducted field visits to an oxygen factory and a hospital-based PSA plant to assess operational readiness, maintenance issues and supply chain challenges.  WHO will continue supporting the roadmap’s development by facilitating a similar high-level interaction meeting in Sudurpashchim Province.