Breathing into the New Year: The Role of Oxygen in Better Healthcare?

As the calendar turns to 2025, it’s an opportunity to focus on the foundational elements that underpin modern healthcare.

Medical oxygen is one of the most critical yet understated component across healthcare service value chain. Over the years, needless deaths caused by lack of availability and affordability of medical oxygen stimulated the ethos that underpins HealthPort’s operational objectives.

HealthPort strives to achieve a sustainable oxygen service across Nigeria, reaching low-resourced facilities through an innovative approach to solving critical issues around medical oxygen distribution and evidence-based administration to patients for better outcomes.

Over the years, HealthPort has invested resources through the AirUp program to understand, in real time, core challenges across different sites; thereby allowing for tailored interventions that directly address gaps across various communities.

Oxygen access undoubtedly plays a central role in saving lives and enhancing healthcare delivery across the globe.??

In this blog, we will delve into the profound impact of oxygen therapy on healthcare, the barriers to access, and HealthPort’s vision for making life-saving oxygen more accessible and reliable in the year ahead.??

The Lifeline of Modern Medicine: Why Oxygen Therapy Is Essential? Oxygen therapy is vital in treating patients across a range of medical scenarios. It serves as a life-sustaining intervention where the body’s natural oxygen levels drop below what is required to maintain vital functions. Here are some critical areas where oxygen therapy makes a difference:??

• Emergency and Critical Care?

In emergency rooms, timely oxygen therapy can differentiate between life and death. Patients experiencing cardiac arrest, strokes, or severe respiratory distress rely on oxygen to stabilize their condition. For trauma victims, oxygen is critical in preventing organ failure and ensuring tissue survival.

• Managing Respiratory Diseases?

Chronic and acute respiratory conditions like pneumonia, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) account for millions of hospital admissions globally. In severe cases, oxygen therapy helps reduce the burden on compromised lungs, improve oxygenation, and prevent escalation to critical care.??

• Maternal and Neonatal Health?

Oxygen therapy is indispensable in maternal and neonatal care, especially during childbirth complications and in caring for premature infants. Many premature babies have underdeveloped lungs and require oxygen to survive and grow.??

• Surgical Procedures and Anesthesia??

Medical oxygen is a critical component during surgeries. It supports anesthesia delivery and ensures patient safety during and after operations, reducing the risks of complications such as hypoxemia.??

• Infectious Diseases??

COVID-19 and tuberculosis have underscored the importance of oxygen in managing severe respiratory infections. Many countries faced crises due to insufficient oxygen supply, underscoring its critical importance in public health emergencies.??

Challenges in Access to Medical Oxygen

Despite its critical role, millions worldwide lack reliable access to oxygen supply, particularly in low-resource settings, as we observed across various regions in Nigeria through Project Airup. A wide oxygen gap continues, ranging from overstretched healthcare systems to ill-equipped facilities.

1. Infrastructure Deficiencies: Many hospitals lack proper oxygen storage and delivery systems, such as cylinders, concentrators, and pipelines.??

2. Limited Distribution: Geographic barriers and poor logistics complicate the?transportation of oxygen to remote areas.??

3. Cost Barriers: For underfunded hospitals, the cost associated with maintaining a steady oxygen supply can be prohibitive.??

4. Lack of Training: Even when oxygen is available, improper handling and administration due to insufficient training can lead to wasted resources?or harm.??

These challenges result in preventable deaths, particularly among vulnerable populations such as children with pneumonia, mothers in labor, and patients with chronic illnesses.??

HealthPort’s Mission: Breathing Hope into 2025?

At HealthPort, we believe that access to medical oxygen is not a mere healthcare issue but a critical human rights concern. As a key player in medical oxygen service provision, we are committed to addressing these challenges through innovative solutions and strategic partnerships.??

Our 2025 Vision:??

1. Expanding Reach:

HealthPort will strive to increase access to oxygen in underserved regions by partnering with more hospitals and healthcare providers. Our goal is to ensure that no hospital runs out of this life-saving resource.??

2. Driving Awareness:

Through targeted campaigns and community engagement, we aim to highlight the role of oxygen in healthcare and advocate for its prioritization in health policies.??

3. Strengthening Training Programs:??

HealthPort is dedicated to equipping healthcare workers with the skills needed to?administer and manage oxygen therapy. This includes hands-on training, workshops, and resource materials to reduce risks and improve outcomes.??

4. Innovating for Efficiency:?

We are investing in technologies that enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of oxygen storage. This includes portable oxygen solutions for emergencies and digital systems that track inventory and usage.??

Looking Ahead: A Healthier Tomorrow

As we welcome the new year, let us recognize that every breath is precious. By enabling reliable access to oxygen therapy, we can save countless lives and create a stronger, more equitable healthcare system.??

At HealthPort, we’re determined to improve the efficiency of oxygen infrastructure and resource distribution. Together with our partners and healthcare providers, we’re committed to making 2025 a year of transformational progress in respiratory care.??

Let’s start the new year with renewed energy, a deeper purpose, and a shared commitment to better healthcare in Nigeria.?