Govt plans integrated medical oxygen systems in 20 districts: State minister
Dr Muhit said Bangladesh currently lacked a specific policy or definition for emergency ambulance services.
Highlights:
- Government targets improved national oxygen management
- Medical curricula to include oxygen therapy training
- Ambulance services to receive legal standards
- National roadmap proposed for 2026-2030
The government plans to establish integrated medical oxygen systems in at least 20 districts this fiscal year to strengthen healthcare capacity and improve access to essential services, Health State Minister MA Muhit said today (4 October).
He made the remarks at the closing session and high-level policy dialogue of the two-day Bangladesh Oxygen Summit at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB).
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The summit was co-organised by the Centre for Health, Implementation and Policy Sciences (CHIPS) at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) and the Bangladesh Oxygen Network.
Muhit said the government was also working to develop an "Oxygen Access Scorecard", in line with recommendations from the Lancet Commission, to assess Bangladesh's medical oxygen system.
"Following the experience of the Covid-19 pandemic and the World Health Organization's 2023 resolution, medical oxygen has become an essential component of health security, rather than merely an immediate need," he said.
"We want to raise the management of oxygen used in Bangladesh's healthcare sector to a standard that allows us to demonstrate success on global scorecards," he added.
Referring to past crises and gaps in oxygen management, the state minister said a lack of coordination had caused duplication in some areas while equipment remained unused elsewhere.
"The current government has taken effective initiatives to resolve this deadlock. A high-level committee has already been formed at the ministry, and work on the Development Project Proposal (DPP) is underway. Through these efforts, an integrated oxygen network will be established in at least 20 districts as quickly as possible during the current fiscal year," he said.
Muhit also called for an effective National Oxygen Roadmap 2026-2030 and greater emphasis on domestic healthcare innovation. He urged the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council to incorporate practical, systematic oxygen-therapy training into medical and nursing curricula.
He also stressed the need for uninterrupted oxygen supplies for marginalised communities, women and children with disabilities, including those with cerebral palsy.
Bangladesh currently lacks a specific policy or definition for emergency ambulance services, he said.
"The practice of operating any vehicle as an ambulance simply by displaying a light must end. The government has begun work on a legal framework and standardisation to ensure modern, quality ambulance services, which will also include an effective oxygen supply system," he said.
