TCI faces oxygen supply shortage due to global demand

By Olivia Rose

THE TURKS and Caicos Islands is facing an acute shortage of oxygen therapy equipment and oxygen supplies because of high global demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“In our current state, two patients on constant ventilation can consume all of our oxygen capacity in a matter of two weeks,” Health Minister Hon. Edwin Astwood said.

Minister of Health Hon. Edwin Astwood

The demand for medical oxygen increased dramatically after the coronavirus was declared a pandemic on March 11.

Hospitals around the world saw their oxygen therapy equipment overwhelmed and oxygen supplies depleted as the facilities treated an influx of Covid-19 patients.

This challenge was highlighted by Health Minister Hon. Edwin Astwood during his ministerial speech in the House of Assembly on Friday, May 29.

“With the increase in demand for oxygen therapy equipment due to Covid-19, countries are facing challenges in understanding what type of, how much and where to find the needed equipment,” he said.

Astwood added that the territory does not have the capacity to produce oxygen cylinders, and as a result they have to be shipped from overseas to the territory.

The lack of oxygen poses a serious challenge for the TCI in the event of an outbreak.

However, the Ministry of Health is working assiduously to remedy this problem by implementing strict monitoring measures, Astwood said.

“Amid the constraints to global supply chains due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and when governments throughout the world are facing considerable challenges to support their populations, and with a high demand and low availability of essential medical supplies, export restrictions, and limited transportation capacity due to the decrease or absence in air travel, this Government thus far, has effectively responded to Covid-19.

“We are ensuring that our healthcare systems have the capacity to identify and treat both current and future respiratory illnesses, especially those due to SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks.”

He said the Ministry of Health plans to purchase the full range of products required to generate oxygen in-country, and provide oxygen therapy and monitoring.

“This development highlights that within the Ministry of Health a sustainable approach has been incorporated into the overall Covid-19 response.

“By building on the work of increasing capacity at our healthcare facilities, focus has been given to improving local oxygen supply and oxygen therapy systems at both TCIG hospitals.”

Astwood explained that oxygen is a major component for treating severe pneumonia, as well as other conditions.

In normal times, most hospital patients receive normal air or low-flow oxygen, but during the pandemic a much larger number of patients need oxygen therapy to support their breathing.

Covid-19 attacks the lungs and can cause severe pneumonia and difficulty in breathing.

Some patients require a sustained form of ventilation including full sedation and a tube passed into their windpipe.

“Covid-19 causes pneumonia and approximately 15 percent of Covid-19 patients are classified as ‘severe’ and require oxygen therapy,” the minister explained.

“Much fewer, approximately five percent, are classified as ‘critical’ and require a ventilator.”

A ventilator is a complex device that requires well trained staff to operate and maintain.

It provides mechanical ventilation and is only used for those critical Covid-19 patients in intensive care who are unable to breathe.

Oxygen therapy, on the other hand, involves a free-flow of oxygen through the nostrils to support hospitalised patients recovering from Covid-19.

He stressed that over the past three months, the ministry has been laser focused on mitigating the spread of coronavirus, contact tracing suspected cases, developing the in-country testing capabilities and increasing the capacity of health facilities to treat severe patients while simultaneously developing protocols for re-opening the territory.