The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has raised concern over the persistent stigma surrounding medical oxygen use in hospitals, stressing that oxygen is not a death sentence but a lifesaving intervention.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2025 National Oxygen Coordination Meeting in Abuja, the Ministry’s Secretary and Oxygen Desk Officer, Eno Edem, noted that many families still associate oxygen therapy with imminent death, a misconception driven by limited community awareness and inadequate sensitisation.
Edem explained that stigma remains a major challenge, as oxygen is often administered late, when patients are already gasping. In such cases, outcomes are poor, and communities wrongly link deaths to oxygen use. She emphasised the need for proper training of healthcare workers to administer oxygen promptly, noting that while partners such as UNICEF have trained over 1,000 workers nationwide, more effort is required.
“Oxygen is a medicine; it is not a death sentence,” she said, calling for stronger collaboration between state hospital boards and ministries of health to ensure reliable data for planning and decision-making.
Regional desk officers also highlighted progress and challenges. Dr. Abdelhamid Mohamed, Oxygen Desk Officer for the North-East, said investments in oxygen plants have expanded significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, when only one plant was functional in his state. He expressed confidence that strategies from the meeting would help sustain infrastructure.
In Zamfara, Isyaku Sabo Tsafe, Medical Oxygen Desk Officer, noted that misconceptions remain a barrier, with families often reacting with fear when oxygen is prescribed. He stressed the need for community mobilisation to educate citizens that oxygen is an essential medicine, just like paracetamol, used to stabilise patients. He added that 109 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants donated across states are nearing completion, with many at 80–90 percent readiness.
Obe Olumide Tolulope, Director of Hospital Services and Training at the Ekiti State Ministry of Health, described the meeting as timely, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed Nigeria’s vulnerability to oxygen shortages.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening oxygen systems, improving training, and dispelling harmful myths to ensure better patient outcomes nationwide.
Blessing Bature, Abuja
