Response to oxygen therapy using oxygen concentrators run off solar power in children with respiratory distress in remote primary health facilities in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Oxygen therapy reduces mortality and morbidity from hypoxaemia in children. There are no published studies assessing individual patient responses to oxygen when delivered by oxygen concentrators in primary healthcare facilities. Ours was a prospective observational study in remote health facilities over three years. A data recording form was used for children who required oxygen. Oxygen saturation (SpO2) was recorded before administration of oxygen, at 30 min and then daily. We assessed the primary diagnosis and the outcome. The common primary diagnoses needing oxygen were pneumonia: moderate (39%) and severe (37%). The median SpO2 before administration of oxygen in 913 patients was 80% (interquartile range [IQR] 66%–88%), and by five days, for the 121 patients who were recorded, SpO2 was 97% (IQR 93%–98%). Of the 745 patients with a recorded outcome, 99% had an uneventful recovery. We conclude that oxygen concentrators are effective in treating children in rural health facilities in Papua New Guinea.

Recent trends in the nanozeolites-based oxygen concentrators and their application in respiratory disorders

“…In 38 remote health institutions in nine regions of Papua New Guinea, Pulsan et al ( 88 ) examined a scheme for enhancing credible oxygen therapy using oxygen concentrators, pulse oximeters, and renewable solar power. In rural and remote hospitals and healthcare institutions, solar-powered oxygen systems can be installed on a broad scale and have been linked to a decrease in child fatalities and a reduction in referrals ( 88 ). According to Madaan et al ( 89 ), rural India’s oxygen needs should focus on employing a supply of substantially pure oxygen that is secure, affordable, simple to access, and mass-producible.…”

Oxygen systems and quality of care for children with pneumonia, malaria and diarrhoea: Analysis of a stepped-wedge trial in Nigeria

“…Effective oxygen systems are an important element of quality hospital care and are critical for achieving good clinical outcomes for patients with severe pneumonia [1,2]. Improvements in hospital oxygen systems have been shown to reduce inpatient child mortality from pneumonia by 35-58%, yet oxygen access for patients remains poor in many low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) [3][4][5][6][7][8]. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the importance of improving hospital oxygen systems, and the fatal consequences of deficient systems, pushing oxygen access higher onto the global health agenda [9,10].…”