Medical Oxygen Shortages: Can Better Hospital Data Help?

How can health data help prevent medical oxygen shortages?

A hospital's ability to deliver oxygen depends partly on information: what supplies are available, which devices work and where patients need treatment. WHO's SCORE for Health Data Technical Package, announced on August 27, 2020, provides a broader framework for turning health information into decisions. Its five intervention areas cover surveying populations, counting births and deaths, optimizing service data, reviewing progress and enabling action. Applying that approach to oxygen services offers a practical example of why accurate records matter at the bedside. [WHO's SCORE announcement](https://www.who.int/news/item/27-08-2020-new-who-technical-package-health-data-for-covid-19-response)

WHO also developed a separate biomedical equipment inventory tool during the pandemic. It assesses oxygen supplies and delivery equipment, including why equipment is not functioning, to support procurement and redistribution. The distinction between equipment ownership and working capacity is consequential: an inventory that counts an unusable device can overstate a facility's readiness. Recording the reason for failure helps managers decide whether repair, replacement or reassignment deserves priority. [WHO biomedical equipment inventory guidance](https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-2019-nCov-biomedical-equipment-inventory-2020.1)

Why does reliable oxygen access require more than equipment?

WHO identifies oxygen as an essential medicine used in conditions such as severe respiratory illness and in surgical and trauma care. Its importance extends well beyond COVID-19. On its oxygen overview page, WHO reports that surveys in low- and middle-income countries found uninterrupted oxygen access in fewer than half of surveyed health facilities. That finding describes the surveys cited by WHO; it should not be interpreted as a freshly measured global percentage for October 2026. [WHO oxygen overview](https://www.who.int/health-topics/oxygen)

Reliable access also depends on the quality and compatibility of the systems connecting an oxygen source to clinical services. WHO's technical specifications, published in December 2024, set out minimum quality, safety and performance requirements for oxygen sources, storage and distribution products inside health facilities. The practical implication is that purchasing decisions need to consider the complete system. Counting newly delivered equipment alone cannot establish whether a hospital can provide dependable oxygen treatment. [WHO medical oxygen system specifications](https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240101616)

What should hospitals measure to improve oxygen reliability?

WHO's 2023 work on medical oxygen performance indicators moves assessment beyond procurement totals. The report includes indicators concerning functional pulse oximeters, oxygen saturation monitoring and the proportion of patients needing oxygen who receive it. These measures address different points in the care pathway: recognizing a patient's need, providing treatment and monitoring care. Because the indicators were developed through expert consensus, they provide a monitoring framework rather than proof that adopting a dashboard alone improves survival. [WHO oxygen performance indicator report](https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-2019-nCoV-Clinical-Oxygen-KPIs-2023.1)

Demand forecasting is another part of preparedness. WHO's guidance on oxygen sources and distribution describes estimating demand, identifying available sources and choosing additional supplies for a surge. An operational implication is that hospitals need a defined response when monitoring reveals a gap, such as arranging maintenance or securing additional supply. Better information can guide those decisions, but its benefit depends on the funding, personnel and infrastructure needed to carry them out. The guidance does not establish a universal percentage reduction in shortages or deaths. [WHO oxygen demand and distribution guidance](https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/oxygen-sources-and-distribution-for-covid-19-treatment-centres)