The Federal Government has intensified efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s medical oxygen supply system, rallying states and development partners to optimise infrastructure and ensure long-term sustainability across the country.
The nationwide engagement, coordinated by the Oxygen Desk Office of the Federal Ministry of Health, brought together stakeholders from the six geopolitical zones to review progress, address operational challenges, and develop strategies to sustain oxygen plants installed in health facilities nationwide.
Speaking during the coordination meeting in Abuja, the Desk Officer for Oxygen, Dr. Gilbert Shetak, said the initiative was designed to harmonise investments made by government and partners and ensure that oxygen infrastructure functions optimally. He noted that significant investments have been made since the COVID-19 pandemic exposed gaps in oxygen availability, leading to avoidable deaths.
“We must not return to a situation where we are running helter-skelter looking for oxygen. The goal is to ensure oxygen reaches the last mile and remains affordable, especially for vulnerable Nigerians,” Shetak said. He disclosed that the Global Fund is currently supporting the maintenance of oxygen systems nationwide for the next five years, but stressed the need for proactive planning beyond that period, including training biomedical engineers and exploring innovative funding mechanisms.
The Chief Medical Director of Jos University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Pokop Bupwatda, described oxygen as essential to human survival but often overlooked until urgently needed. He commended the revolving fund model being promoted to sustain production and distribution, including to private health facilities.
Also speaking, Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdulazeez Adams, described the engagement as timely, noting that the deployment of Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) plants across senatorial districts was a major achievement. He highlighted Kogi’s progress, including the installation of liquid oxygen tanks in tertiary institutions and the operation of a hospital-based hyperbaric chamber.
The Federal Ministry of Health divided the stakeholder engagement into two phases covering all six geopolitical zones to ensure inclusive participation. A national assessment, supported by development partners, is also underway to evaluate the current status of oxygen plants across the country.
Officials said the overall objective is to guarantee that medical oxygen remains accessible, affordable, and available at primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare levels nationwide.
By Blessing Bature, Abuja
