CSO Coalitions for Medical Oxygen Access

Community and civil society groups are critical to amplifying advocacy and accountability for medical oxygen access. Through evidence-based advocacy and collaboration, these coalitions are driving the policies, financing, and awareness needed to ensure that oxygen and respiratory care remain a long-term health system priority.

A united movement for sustainable oxygen access

National CSO Coalitions for Medical Oxygen Access bring together advocates, community groups, and technical partners to strengthen local and national leadership on oxygen access.

Built on the original concept piloted by PATH as part of its work in oxygen access, the coalitions use a technical advocacy model - grounded in data and evidence - to influence policy, secure, financing, and hold systems responsive and accountable for delivering lifesaving oxygen services.

By mobilizing local champions and promoting collaboration across sectors, the coalitions are helping governments build sustainable, equitable oxygen ecosystems that reach every health facility and every patient in need.

Objectives

Our goal is to strengthen and sustain advocacy for equitable access to medical oxygen by empowering local civil society to:

• Champion well-resourced and well-implemented respiratory care systems
• Advocate for transparency and accountability in financing and policy execution
• Increase public knowledge and awareness of oxygen’s lifesaving role

Work and interventions

Coalition members engage in diverse activities that promote systemic, lasting change, including:

• Advocating for increased prioritization of oxygen and respiratory care in national health policies and budgets
• Building networks with like-minded CSOs at national and subnational levels, as well as globally
• Reviewing evidence and creating communications resources to inform policy and investment decisions
• Conducting community education and outreach campaigns
• Engaging the media to raise the salience of oxygen access issues

And more!

Community resources (fact sheets)

• Oxygen in Malawi: What communities need to know (English, Chichewa)
• Oxygen in Zambia: What communities need to know (English, Nyanja)
• Oxygen messaging map
• Pulse oximetry messaging map

Campaigns

• The missing pieces towards universal oxygen access
• How oxygen matters: Stories of impact across the lifespan
• Markets matter: Closing the oxygen gap

Primers, briefs

• Oxygen is essential: A policy and advocacy primer
• Pulse oximetry primer
• WHO resolution: Increasing access to medical oxygen

Infographics

• Oxygen financing: Global Fund opportunities
• Improving oxygen delivery: Country progress in the time of COVID-19

Digital

• Access to Oxygen (A2O2) Resource Library
• Oxygen Needs Tracker
• COVID-19 Oxygen Needs Tracker
• Pulse oximetry infographic builder (by Open Oximetry)

Acknowledgement: The concept of a national CSO Coalition for Medical Oxygen Access was piloted by PATH as part of the SOURCE project, and included community and CSO partnerships piloted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India (Jharkhand), Malawi, and Zambia. The concept was further expanded via the Unitaid-funded East African Program on Oxygen Access (EAPOA) initiative.

For general inquiries or partnership, please reach out out to Elena Pantjushenko, epantjushenko@path.org or oxygen@path.org.