2023-06-21-世界卫生组织-Statement_on_access_to_quality_and_safe_medical_oxygen_4页_80kb

Summary of WHO Statement on Access to Quality and Safe Medical Oxygen

Problem Statement

• Medical oxygen access is inadequate in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with fewer than half of health facilities having uninterrupted supply, leading to preventable deaths, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Root causes include limited production, distribution issues, unreliable power, lack of equipment, storage problems, inadequate funding, and insufficient technical expertise.
• WHO emphasizes a holistic approach, recommending coordinated strategies such as national policies, inclusion in essential medicines lists, regulatory frameworks, training, sustainable energy, financing, and maintenance programs.

Key Recommendations from WHO

• Provide guidelines and tools for producing, distributing, storing, and using quality-assured, safe medical oxygen.
• Stress adherence to good manufacturing practices (GMP) and pharmacopoeial standards for oxygen production.
• Promote clinical use as an essential medicine for various conditions, including surgery, respiratory infections, and COVID-19 therapy.

Clinical Use of Oxygen

• Oxygen is listed in WHO Model Essential Medicines since 1979 and is critical for treating hypoxemia, anaesthesia, and various respiratory conditions in specialties like surgery, obstetrics, and emergency care.
• Therapeutic applications require specific oxygen concentrations, often needing mixing with air or other gases, with a focus on safe administration using standardized devices.

Quality Assurance and Systems

• Quality medical oxygen must meet defined pharmacopoeial standards and be produced, stored, and distributed under good practices.
• Oxygen systems need integrated components for detection and continuous supply, including reliable power, proper storage, and medical-grade equipment, with ongoing maintenance and reprocessing practices.
• WHO provides technical specifications and guidance to ensure patient safety.

Additional Notes

• Access to medical oxygen is vital for patient care and life-saving treatments; deficiencies pose significant health risks.
• WHO encourages global scale-up and collaboration to improve oxygen infrastructure, referencing updates from COVID-19 response efforts.