COVID-19 is causing a devastating oxygen crisis
The world is facing a global shortage of medical oxygen. Alongside corticosteroids, medical oxygen is the only proven lifesaving treatment for the most seriously ill COVID-19 patients. Without oxygen, COVID-19 patients suffering from hypoxemia – an abnormally low level of oxygen in the blood – will likely die.
The Global Fund and partners are supporting countries to access medical oxygen products – including through partnerships such as the COVID-19 Oxygen Emergency Taskforce, part of the Therapeutics Pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-Accelerator).
The emergence and circulation of new variants of COVID-19 highlight the urgent need to stop the spread of the pandemic everywhere. The Global Fund is encouraging countries to apply for fast-track funding through its COVID-19 Response Mechanism, for the response to the pandemic. The funding includes support to procure diagnostic tests, personal protective equipment (PPE), and treatments – such as corticosteroids and medical oxygen.
11 June 2021
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