In a major move to strengthen Pakistan’s public health infrastructure, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in partnership with the Government of Pakistan and the Global Fund, is spearheading a project to procure and install 36 oxygen generation plants in public hospitals across the country. The effort, which will run from March 2022 to December 2025, is supported by a total budget of $52 million.
The project will be implemented in all four provinces, Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh, as part of a strategic push to close critical gaps in the supply of medical oxygen, a vulnerability that was clearly revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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In essence, the initiative focuses on delivering oxygen generators physically installed and fully operational. But according to the UNDP, the plan goes much further. It includes training of technical and healthcare staff in maintenance, commissioning of systems under third-party supervision to meet safety standards, and a structured handover to local hospital management to ensure long-term sustainability.
To future-proof the system, the program also incorporates updates to related infrastructure. These include the integration of solar-powered HVAC systems for climate control in healthcare facilities, modern warehouse shelving for safer storage of medications and vaccines, and improvements to medical logistics systems.
The incorporation of renewable energy and resilient storage solutions aims to reduce dependence on external supply chains and improve service continuity in the face of environmental or logistical challenges.
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UNDP hopes that, once completed, the project will significantly strengthen Pakistan’s capacity to respond to respiratory emergencies and critical care demands. Hospitals will gain reliable access to medical-grade oxygen, and staff in both hospitals and central maintenance units will gain the technical knowledge to operate, service and maintain the new systems independently.
Improvements in logistics, storage and energy resilience are also expected to reduce waste and ensure better handling of essential medicines and vaccines.
This project aligns with UNDP’s broader goals of fostering the delivery of inclusive, climate-sensitive and accountable health services across Pakistan.
By incorporating renewable energy and infrastructure improvements in the health sector, UNDP and its partners aim to not only solve the immediate oxygen shortage but also build a stronger and more resilient health system for the future.
