A Workable Solution for Ghana’s Medical Oxygen Crisis

In the 21st-century healthcare system, one expects healthcare systems in developing countries such as Ghana to be making significant strides towards matching international standards of patient care. Yet a silent but persistent challenge continues to threaten lives in many Ghanaian hospitals: the lack of reliable and readily available medical oxygen.

Medical oxygen is one of the most essential treatments in modern healthcare. It is indispensable for patients suffering from respiratory illnesses, trauma, surgical complications, neonatal conditions and many other life-threatening emergencies. While oxygen is freely available in the air we breathe, access to medical-grade oxygen at the point of care remains a major challenge in many healthcare facilities across Ghana.

In many hospitals, oxygen is supplied through heavy cylinders mounted on wheeled trolleys, which healthcare workers must manually transport from one patient to another whenever oxygen therapy is required. Although they are an important backup system, oxygen cylinders should not be the primary sources of oxygen in major hospitals, especially regional and teaching hospitals where critically ill patients are managed, and major referrals are sent.

Although requiring massive investment, central piped oxygen systems need to be established throughout healthcare facilities in the country. A central system provides a continuous, reliable and efficient supply of oxygen directly to patient’s bedsides, reducing delays in emergency care and imporving patient outcomes.

Portable cylinders also present as occupational health concerns for health workers. Nurses and other healthcare workers often have to push these heavy cylinders during emergencies across wards  without ideal manual handling techniques. This does not only increase their risk of musculoskeletal injuries but also diverts valuable time and attention away from the patient being cared for.

Who also knows whether these cylinders are in good shape or if the quantity of the oxygen in the cylinder will sustain the patient for the required length of time? It’s like drinking from a bottle witout knowing whether it contains enough water to quench your thirst. Other potential hazards associated with mobile oxygen includes risk of explosion and unplanned depleted supply to the patient on the spot, resulting in permanent disability or death

One cannot deny that the Ghana Health Service has come a long way as major improvements have happened over the past few years.  Access to medical oxygen therefore, shouldn’t be a problem to this system. There must be pragmatic steps to change the fundamental negative issues that plague our health system like this one.

The time has come for government agencies, hospital administrators, development partners and all relevant stakeholders to prioritise sustainable oxygen infrastructure in our hospitals. The availability of medical oxygen is fundamental to safe quality healthcare. Every patient deserves timely access to it and every healthcare worker deserves the tools needed to deliver safe and effective respiratory care to all patients.

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