The Pandemic Fund—hosted by the World Bank—was created in September 2022 to provide a dedicated stream of additional, long-term funding for critical pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPPR) in eligible low- and middle-income countries.

According to expert forecasts, there is a 66 percent chance of another COVID-like respiratory pandemic with a death toll of more than 10 million in the next 25 years. To prepare, countries must strengthen their health systems to identify, diagnose, and treat respiratory infections.

Tools like pulse oximeters, which detect hypoxemia (low oxygen saturation in the blood), can provide critical data that a respiratory pandemic is emerging, and medical oxygen and related therapies are essential to treatment as the recent COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated. An adequate supply of clinical and biomedical engineers, and technicians trained to operate and maintain both is a critical plank of PPPR.

This factsheet outlines key information and resources for pursuing funding for medical oxygen and pulse oximetry through the Pandemic Fund. It is intended for use by beneficiaries, partners, civil society, and others, in developing funding requests and/or advocating for prioritizing medical oxygen and pulse oximetry in future Pandemic Fund proposals.