International Pneumonia Day: improving access to oxygen therapy for all

Every year on 12 November, International Pneumonia Day raises public awareness of this ongoing global health issue. Pneumonia causes millions of deaths each year1, primarily among children under five in low- and middle-income countries.

Fortunately, it is treatable. Early diagnosis and prompt, appropriate treatment2 , including oxygen therapy, are essential to saving lives.

Access Oxygen, a member of the Every Breath Counts coalition, addresses the need for life-saving oxygen in low- and middle-income communities, helping to combat pneumonia effectively. Designed to provide a tailored oxygen therapy solution, Air Liquide's Access Oxygen program includes supplying the necessary equipment to oxygenate patients (including infants), as well as providing essential training for healthcare personnel and ensuring ongoing maintenance by a local operator.

Since 2017, we have been proud to deploy Access Oxygen in Senegal, South Africa, Kenya and Mali to help patients with pneumonia and other respiratory infections.

1. In 2023, pneumonia claimed the lives of 2.5 million people, including 610,000 children under the age of five, according to the Global Burden of Disease.
2. Pneumonia is a viral or bacterial infection of the lungs. Bacterial pneumonia requires treatment with antibiotics.