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©UNICEF Ethiopia, Mersha / Flickr cc More than 1.1 million cylinders of oxygen are needed by COVID-19 patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) every day and patients are going without because hospitals can t keep up with demand, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). To fix shortages in 20 of the countries, the WHO and its partners need $90 million in immediate funding. To fix the deficit for the next 12 months, the WHO Access to COVID Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) estimates a $1.6 billion need. It s a steep price tag, but the ACT-A s new COVID-19 Oxygen Emergency Taskforce hopes to create financial partnerships, analyze the oxygen supply chain, deliver supplies and services to the most burdened countries, and facilitate long-term changes to make medical oxygen more accessible. These dollars could help increase production and transportation of items such as medical oxygen, oxygen cylinders, and oxygen concentrators.

New yorkUnited statesSouth africaDavid margrafLos angelesStephenw schondelmeyerJohns hopkinsPhilippe dunetonLeith greensladeJayasree iyerClinton health access initiativeWorld health organizationWorld bankUnited nations international children emergency fundInfectious disease researchUniversity of minnesota center