Assessment of Power Availability and Development of a Low-Cost Battery-Powered Medical Oxygen Delivery System: For Use in Low-Resource Health Facilities in Developing Countries

The use of oxygen concentrators for the supply of medical oxygen in developing countries is increasingly becoming an alternative to conventional compressed gas cylinders, which are expensive to refill and logistically challenging to transport. Oxygen is important for obstetric, surgical, and an aesthesia care, as well as for the effective management of many diseases including severe sepsis, malaria, and pneumonia. One major obstacle to the effective use of oxygen concentrators in resource poor settings is the need for a constant power supply. An assessment of power availability in three health centres in The Gambia is presented, which highlights the issue of intermittent electricity supply for real health centre settings in a developing country. A battery-powered oxygen delivery system is also presented, which is charged from an intermittent grid power supply. This oxygen system will be beneficial in areas with little or intermittent electricity supply, such as The Gambia, where oxygen is in short supply.