70pc people deprived of Oxygen when needed

A person cannot survive for more than three minutes without oxygen. Therefore, increasing investment to ensure oxygen security is imperative.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has termed oxygen a life-saving medicine. However, in Bangladesh, nearly 70 per cent of people do not receive adequate oxygen when needed. Due to shortcomings in communication, preparation, and supply services, as well as poor service quality, many patients fail to receive oxygen in time.

This information was revealed yesterday, Tuesday, at the “Bangladesh Oxygen Summit 2025”, held at a five-star hotel in Dhaka. During the event, government representatives announced that oxygen would be included in the list of essential medicines.

Researchers and scientists at the conference noted that approximately 7.4 million (74 lakh) people in Bangladesh require medical oxygen each year, highlighting the need for greater investment in the oxygen sector.

In 2022, The Lancet Global Health formed a commission on oxygen security. The commission published a report on the safety of medical oxygen in March of this year.

Tuesday’s event discussed the key findings of the Lancet Commission’s report, Bangladesh’s current medical oxygen situation, government initiatives and recommendations to ensure universal oxygen access. The one-day summit was jointly organised by International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), The Lancet Global Health, Every Breath Counts, and Unitaid.

Professor Md Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser of the interim government and the event’s chief guest, stated that oxygen is fundamentally a matter of national security. The government aims to ensure this security and is currently updating the list of essential medicines to include oxygen.

Professor Tahmeed Ahmed, executive director of icddr,b and chair of the first session, said, “We never think about our need for oxygen, but without it, life ceases. Bangladesh has made progress in oxygen availability; however, demand is rising among people suffering from chronic diseases.”

It was stated at the event that oxygen is used both in industry and healthcare. Oxygen used in medical treatment is termed “medical oxygen”. It is primarily required in three circumstances: emergency medical care (for children and the elderly), surgical procedures and for patients with chronic illnesses—especially those suffering from long-term respiratory conditions (COPD).

In the keynote presentation on oxygen security during the second session, Shams El Arifeen, member of the Lancet Commission and emeritus scientist at icddr,b, said that globally, many patients in need of oxygen cannot reach hospitals or clinics in time. Even when they do, facilities are often unprepared or face various deficiencies, while service quality frequently remains inadequate.

Shams El Arifeen explained that these four stages of access barriers exist in Bangladesh, as in other developing countries.

Data show that 46.3 per cent of people cannot reach a hospital or clinic when oxygen is required or live too far away; 2.4 per cent find the facility unprepared; 14.3 per cent experience shortages in oxygen supply; and 7.5 per cent do not receive oxygen of acceptable quality.

Altogether, this means that about 70 per cent of people do not receive oxygen when needed.

However, during the session, Abu Hossain Md Moinul Ahsan, director (hospitals and clinics) of the Directorate General of Health Services, disagreed with these statistics, stating that there is currently no shortage of medical oxygen in the country.

During the morning session of the summit, Ahmad Ehsanur Rahman, member of the executive committee of the Lancet Commission and scientist at icddr,b, presented the key points of the commission’s report, highlighting the vital importance of oxygen.

He stated that, in general, a human being can survive for up to three weeks without food and three days without water, but not more than three minutes without oxygen.

Ahmad Ehsanur Rahman explained that globally, approximately 374 million (37 crore and 40 lakh) people require medical oxygen each year. To meet this demand, an estimated 1.2 billion (120 crore) cubic metres of oxygen are needed annually and the demand continues to increase.

The requirement for oxygen is comparatively higher in South Asian countries, including Bangladesh.

He emphasised that “delaying oxygen delivery is equivalent to denying life.”

Several speakers across different sessions reflected on the critical importance and shortage of oxygen during the Covid pandemic. Paediatrician Professor Abid Hossain Mollah remarked, “Covid taught us how vital oxygen truly is — and how to administer it effectively.”

The conference revealed that in Bangladesh, the estimated annual oxygen demand for emergency medical care is 23.4 million cubic metres, for surgical procedures 2.3 million (23 lakh) cubic metres, and for chronic illnesses 58.3 million (5 crore 83 lakh) cubic metres.

Respiratory disease specialist Kazi Saifuddin Bennur noted that individuals suffering from long-term illnesses often require medical oxygen for months or even years. However, many do not receive oxygen according to their medical needs when required.

The Lancet Commission report includes extensive recommendations for governments, oxygen industry stakeholders, global health organisations, donor agencies, civil society groups, research institutions and professional associations.

In the final session of the summit, Md Mohiuddin Al Helal, senior assistant secretary at the Ministry of Health presented a draft roadmap for ensuring oxygen security in Bangladesh. He emphasised the need to make oxygen safe, affordable and accessible for all.

Earlier, the conference reviewed various international examples of innovations and initiatives undertaken by different countries and organisations during the Covid-19 pandemic to address oxygen shortages. Scientists and researchers from icddr,b, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), and the University of Dhaka showcased their innovations related to oxygen technology.

In a separate session on oxygen production, regulatory frameworks and investment, speakers included Iffat Mahmud, senior operations officer at the World Bank; Md Mohit Islam, assistant director at the Directorate General of Drug Administration; and Kazi Delwar Hossain, additional secretary (planning) at the Ministry of Health. They underscored the importance of increasing investment in the oxygen sector.

Other speakers at various sessions included Md Saidur Rahman, secretary, Health Services Division of the Ministry of Health; professor Abu Zafar, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services; Pyae Phyo Than Cho, health officer at UNICEF; professor AR Saleheen, member-secretary of the Society of Surgeons of Bangladesh; Mohammad Zakaria Al-Aziz, member-secretary of the Bangladesh Society of Medicine; and professor Muhammad Tarik Arafat, head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at BUET.