The effectiveness and sustainability of appropriate technology for managing hypoxaemia in remote hospitals in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Introduction; Pneumonia is the most common cause of death among children and infants in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The lethal complication is usually hypoxaemia. Pulse oximeters provide an effective, non-invasive method for the detection of hypoxaemia so that high-risk patients can be identified quickly and given oxygen. Oxygen can be supplied from an oxygen concentrator wherever mains power is available. In 2006 we reported on technical aspects of a programme to install pulse oximeters and oxygen concentrators in 5 rural hospitals in PNG. We aimed to assess whether or not this equipment could make a significant difference to child survival rates and to document what was required to incorporate..