The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for oxygen and other respiratory care supplies and equipment around the globe.

In response, PATH conducted a biomedical equipment survey in eight government-owned health facilities in Zambia. The purpose of this survey was to quantify existing oxygen delivery and production equipment, consumables for administering oxygen therapy, bed capacity, and facility infrastructure characteristics that are relevant to providing respiratory care. The results indicated that all assessed institutions need urgent procurement of medical equipment for oxygen delivery, monitoring devices to support safe oxygen administration to patients, and accompanying consumables. Also, across all facilities there is insufficient staff trained to adequately manage COVID-19 patients requiring respiratory care.

This report summarizes observations from the collected data and is intended to help global and national stakeholders understand COVID-19 treatment capacity in Zambia.