Submission ID 118365
| Issue/Objective | Access to medical oxygen is a critical component of healthcare, particularly in conflict-affected regions where oxygen demand is high. The Amhara region of Ethiopia, home to over 22 million people, faces a critical shortage of medical oxygen due to current challenges exacerbated by ongoing conflict. Despite progress in healthcare, the region struggles with high neonatal mortality rates (47 deaths per 1,000 live births) and preventable deaths from respiratory illnesses, compounded by limited access to medical oxygen. |
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| Methodology/Approach | This study used a mixed-methods approach to evaluate barriers to affordable and reliable medical oxygen in Ethiopia's conflict-affected Amhara region. A structured checklist assessed infrastructure functionality, operational capacity, production, and utilization, identifying gaps in supply, affordability, and conflict-related disruptions. Secondary data from literature reviews, government reports, and partner analyses provided context on broader healthcare challenges and conflict impacts. |
| Results | The corresponding annual oxygen demand of the region is estimated at 6,596,343.302 m³ to adequately serve more than 100 hospitals, 861 health centers, and 3,565 health posts and emergency care facilities. Findings show severe inefficiencies: only 12 oxygen plants were found in the region, with installed capacity at 1,203 m³/hr. Due to technical failures, maintenance, and conflict damage, operational capacity has dropped to 714 m³/hr., while utilization is just below 329 m³/hr. Geographic disparities further limit access, with rural facilities located over 200 km from oxygen sources. The conflict has destroyed 50% of health infrastructure, disrupted supply chains, and restricted transportation, leaving 60% of healthcare facilities nonfunctional. Financial constraints, power instability, and militant threats exacerbate the crisis, crippling healthcare delivery. Thus, mothers and children in the rural and suburban areas are in critical challenges to get affordable oxygen supply. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | Proposed solutions focus on decentralized production, such as locally made portable oxygen concentrators (developed with Bahir Dar University, KU Leuven, and Western University), along with urgent repairs, solar backups, and humanitarian supply corridors. This study underscores the need for immediate intervention to bridge the oxygen gap, combining short-term humanitarian response with long-term system strengthening. Through these, stakeholders can mitigate preventable deaths and build a resilient oxygen ecosystem in conflict-affected regions. |
| Presenters and affiliations | Hamza Shukri Bahir Dar University, Ministry of Health Ethiopia Amare Kassaw Bahir Dar University Michel Koole KU Leuven Margaret Mutumba Western University, Canada James Lacefield. Western University, Canada |
