31 May 2022 – The World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), will install lifesaving oxygen stations in 5 main hospitals located in priority southern governorates of Hadramout, Shabwa, Marib and Abyan.
The 5 oxygen stations will be a critical support to hospitals for administering anaesthesia and treating critical medical emergencies, including severe cases of COVID-19, major trauma, cardiac arrest and shock. All require an uninterrupted oxygen supply to prevent permanent organ damage or even death of many patients.
“A sustainable oxygen supply has critical importance for operating theatres, intensive care units and COVID-19 treatment centres in hospitals and other health facilities,” said Dr Adham Dr Adham Rashad Ismail Abdel-Moneim, WHO Representative to Yemen. “Health facilities across Yemen often cannot access oxygen supplies due to cost, infrastructure and logistical barriers – resulting in otherwise preventable deaths.”
More than 40 000 seriously ill patients are projected to benefit from these oxygen stations that should be fully installed by September 2022. Upon installing the oxygen stations at all 5 hospitals, WHO will train their personnel to utilize, monitor and maintain them efficiently.
Once installed, the oxygen stations will help meet growing shortages of affordable and sustainable oxygen supplies in Yemen, linked to the country’s ongoing economic and health crisis. This would be one step closer towards ensuring the delivery of sustainable health care services.
“These hospitals and other health facilities face a high influx of under-reported COVID-19 cases and deaths,” said Dr Abdel-Moneim. “The stations will help ensure their functionality and the continuity of essential health services that are primarily focused on COVID-19 case management, trauma care and treatment of respiratory distress.”
