PATH, in collaboration with the Zambia Ministry of Health, conducted a biomedical equipment survey (BMES) in health facilities across the country in November and December 2023.

This report analyzes data collected during facility assessments of 91 health facilities in ten provinces across Zambia, by service ward type, to provide a snapshot of the country’s medical oxygen ecosystem. The purpose of this work is to quantify existing oxygen delivery and production equipment, consumables for administering oxygen therapy, and bed capacity, and to understand facility infrastructure characteristics. The BMES included a mix of public health facilities that represent the multiple hospital levels: first-level (district), second-level (provincial), and third- level (national) hospitals, as well as specialized hospitals (fourth level).

The results demonstrated that the availability of oxygen services and respiratory care equipment is highly variable across health facilities. For example, 12% of facilities lack pulse oximeters altogether, and 12 facilities (13%) reported possession of an on-site pressure swing adsorption plant for continuous, reliable oxygen delivery to patients. Most facilities that provide services with high demand for oxygen (e.g., maternity and surgical wards and intensive care units [ICUs]) also possess oxygen concentrators and cylinders to ensure a reliable supply. The availability of small equipment and delivery devices, such as flowmeters and cannulas, varies considerably, which can limit the ability to access available oxygen supplies.