Major Milestone For Access To Medical Oxygen

who executive board adopts landmark oxygen resolution

The Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) will recommend that the 76th World Health Assembly adopt its first Access to Medical Oxygen Resolution when it meets in May 2023 - a major milestone in the long journey to ensure that no more patients die from lack of access to this essential medicine.

The Every Breath Counts Coalition applauds the Government of Uganda for submitting the draft resolution and the governments of Australia, Bangladesh, the Central African Republic, the European Union and its 27 Member States, Kenya, and Türkiye for co-sponsoring.

Eleven other governments announced their support for the resolution during the Executive Board meeting on 1 February 2023, including Botswana, Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Mozambique, Namibia, Peru, Rwanda, South Africa, and the United States of America.

Millions of COVID-19 patients across low- and middle income countries lost their lives because they could not get the medical oxygen they needed. Massive gaps also remain as countries do not have the medical oxygen or the workforce to meet the needs of all patients and to prepare for the next pandemic. No one should die for lack of oxygen. This resolution is a major milestone in the journey to deliver medical oxygen to everyone who needs it, countries need to pay attention and maximize existing investments to eliminate preventable deaths caused by a shortage of oxygen.

ETR on-site Oxygen plant ensure 24/7 safe supply of oxygen for medical use, with the opportunity to contribute to this WHO driven advance, thus eliminate one of the major barriers to accessing life-saving medical oxygen for patients around the world.