COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Since its outbreak, more than 209 million people have contracted the virus, and 4.4 million people have died. The high infection and hospitalization rates from the virus exposed the fragility of health systems worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The pandemic caused a global shortage of diagnostics as well as personal protective equipment (PPE) including masks, gloves, and gowns. It has disrupted delivery of essential health services due to diversion of human and medical resources to treat COVID-19 cases, new safety precautions, and travel restrictions to prevent spread of the disease. The virus also laid bare longstanding deficiencies in access to medical oxygen—one of the only treatments available for COVID-19—including pulse oximeters, oxygen concentrators, and ventilators. To date, less than 10 percent of people living in low- and middle-income countries have been fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, 80 percent of the 4.7 billion vaccines that have been distributed globally have gone to the world’s richest countries.

In addition, countries have faced significant shortages in key respiratory care equipment—including oxygen cylinders, concentrators, masks, ventilators, pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plants, and hospital piping—which predate COVID-19 and have been exacerbated by surges of severe and critical COVID-19 patients. We are working with partner governments to rapidly procure these items to enable them to respond to COVID-19 cases while strengthening their long-term ability to provide safe oxygen therapy, including the provision and effective use of pulse oximetry. We are also helping governments through the forecasting and quantification of oxygen needs, coordination and supply of key oxygen-related commodities, and most importantly, the expansion of liquid oxygen services through a recent memorandum of understanding that CHAI and Unitaid signed with Linde and Air Liquide on behalf of the ACT-A oxygen task force.