As Kenya grappled with the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the medical oxygen crisis became a stark and undeniable reality. With many facilities experiencing oxygen shortages and the Ministry of Health publicly appealing for the return of oxygen cylinders, the need for a robust medical oxygen policy framework became undoubtedly clear.
Medical oxygen is an essential, lifesaving commodity used to manage respiratory conditions such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, COVID-19, and many other critical health complications. Over the years, Kenya has made significant investments to enhance the regulation, production, storage, and delivery of medical oxygen to health facilities. With over USD 60 million already invested in the oxygen ecosystem, coupled with the inclusion of medical oxygen on the Kenya Essential Medicines List, there has been a progressive improvement in access to oxygen for critical care.
However, access to high-quality oxygen is still hindered by challenges such as oxygen quality (purity levels), inadequate quantities and distribution of oxygen devices, poor infrastructure, limited repair and maintenance, and inadequate training for health workers and biomedical engineers.
Kenya’s new medical oxygen policy and guidelines
To sustain investment and secure resources for operational costs and preventive maintenance of medical oxygen, the Kenyan Ministry of Health, in partnership with PATH and other partners, developed and launched the Kenya Medical Oxygen Roadmap (2025–2030), with accompanying national guidelines. These included guidelines on production, delivery, and management of medical oxygen in Kenya and technical specifications for medical oxygen, oxygen therapy devices, and equipment.
On May 14, 2025, speaking during the launch of the medical oxygen guideline documents, Dr. Tom Menge, head of the Directorate of Health Products and Technologies at Kenya’s Ministry of Health, emphasized that the launch of these documents is a pivotal move toward ensuring all Kenyans have access to lifesaving oxygen.
“The roadmap provides a robust framework for monitoring and evaluating progress toward expected outcomes and enables stakeholders to align to Kenya’s vision for quality respiratory care.”— Dr. Tom Menge, Head, Directorate of Health Products and Technologies
Photo highlights from the Kenya Medical Oxygen Roadmap launch on May 14, 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya. Photo: PATH.
Kenya Medical Oxygen Roadmap 2025–2030
The Kenya Medical Oxygen Roadmap is set to ensure equitable access to high-quality, sustainable, and affordable medical oxygen for all Kenyans by 2030. The roadmap strategically focuses on:
- Effective coordination and management of the medical oxygen ecosystem.
- Strengthened policy implementation and adherence.
- Efficient coordination of oxygen distribution, transportation, and handling.
- Infrastructure development for oxygen generation, storage, and distribution.
- Availability and proper management of respiratory care devices and equipment.
- Skilled personnel for equipment maintenance and clinical management.
- Strengthened monitoring, evaluation, and research for continuous quality improvement.
- Sustainable financing for oxygen production, storage, distribution, and maintenance.
- Equitable access and consistent quality management.
The development of the roadmap, led by the Ministry’s Directorate of Health Products and Technologies, was a comprehensive and consultative process that included deliberations with select health care workers from national and county governments, professional associations, and development partners who identified and formed the foundations of the roadmap.
During this process, PATH provided technical and financial support through the Strengthening Oxygen Utilization and Respiratory Care Ecosystems (SOURCE) project and took up the role of roadmap development secretariat.
The SOURCE project seeks to reduce maternal, child, and overall mortality from hypoxemia-related causes through improved access to high-quality oxygen services at all levels of the health care system. Under this project, PATH works on a robust set of global and country-level implementation, advocacy, and research activities to ensure long-term access to medical oxygen and resilient systems for future pandemic response efforts.
In Kenya, beyond supporting the development of the roadmap, the SOURCE project trained 120 biomedical engineers in the repair and maintenance of oxygen plants across seven counties, trained 90 clinicians on management and rational use of medical oxygen, and supported the training of 250 clinicians, hospital administrators, and county health record officers on medical oxygen quantification and the capture and reporting of oxygen indicators to the Kenya Health Information System.
“Oxygen is not a luxury—it is a basic medical necessity. This roadmap offers us an evidence-based, coordinated approach to ensure oxygen access to the people who need it most when they need it.”— Carolyne Njuguna, PATH East Africa Hub and Kenya Country Director
A foundation for change
Kenya’s commitment to improving oxygen access is firmly rooted in several years of investment and key national health policies and strategies. These include:
- The Kenya Health Policy 2014–2030, which aims to ensure the highest standard of health for all Kenyans, emphasizing the availability of essential medicines like medical oxygen.
- The Health Products and Technologies Supply Chain Strategy 2020–2025, which focuses on ensuring the efficient and accessible delivery of essential health products, including medical oxygen, to health care facilities nationwide.
- The Kenya Universal Health Coverage Policy 2020–2030, which guarantees equitable access to essential health services for all citizens and recognizes medical oxygen as a key lifesaving commodity.
- The Kenya Community Health Strategy 2020–2025, which promotes home-based care for chronic and infectious diseases, underscoring the need for oxygen availability even at the community level.
These interwoven policies laid the groundwork for a robust and resilient oxygen ecosystem. With the development of the oxygen roadmap and the recent adoption of additional medical oxygen–related policies by the government, Kenya is expected to standardize national specifications for oxygen equipment, reduce inconsistencies in donated equipment, and enhance accountability structures for tracking oxygen equipment and resources.
The future of medical oxygen
The launch of the Kenya Medical Oxygen Roadmap (2025–2030), coupled with existing supportive policies and strategies, represents a significant stride toward a future where oxygen scarcity will be a challenge of the past. By focusing on key areas such as sustainable financing, infrastructure development, skilled personnel, and robust monitoring and evaluation, the roadmap lays the foundation for a transformed oxygen ecosystem.
If implemented as planned, this roadmap will improve coordination within the oxygen ecosystem, enhance prioritization of oxygen in Kenya, and enhance the sustainability of high-quality, affordable, and available medical oxygen for all intended users. While challenges remain, the collaborative spirit that shaped the roadmap’s development offers a strong foundation for transformative progress in years to come.
