TY - JOUR
T1 - Implementation of solar powered oxygen delivery in a conflict zone
T2 - preliminary findings from Somalia on feasibility and usefulness
AU - Mian, Qaasim
AU - Rahman Malik, Sk Md Mamunur
AU - Alinor, Mohamed Adam
AU - Hossain, Md Shajib
AU - Sharma, Jitendar Kumar
AU - Hassan, Osman Moallim
AU - Ahmed, Abdiwali Mohamed
AU - Jama, Abdiweli Abdullahi
AU - Okello, Andrew J.
AU - Namasopo, Sophie
AU - Opoka, Robert O.
AU - Conradi, Nicholas
AU - Saleh, Abdullah
AU - Conroy, Andrea L.
AU - Hawkes, Michael T.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Access to therapeutic oxygen in low-resource settings remains a significant global problem. Solar powered oxygen (SPO2) delivery is a reliable and cost-effective solution. We followed implementation research methodology to gather data on engineering parameters (remote monitoring), nurse training (before and after knowledge questionnaire), patients treated with SPO2 (descriptive case series), and qualitative user feedback (focus group discussions). In January 2021, SPO2 was installed at Hanano General Hospital in Dusamareb, Galmudug State, Somalia, in a conflict-affected region. Daily photovoltaic cell output (median 8.0 kWh, interquartile range (IQR) 2.6–14) exceeded the electrical load from up to three oxygen concentrators (median 5.0 kWh, IQR 0.90–12). Over the first six months after implementation, 114 patients (age 1 day to 89 years, 54% female) were treated for hypoxaemic illnesses, including COVID-19, pneumonia, neonatal asphyxia, asthma, and trauma. Qualitative end user feedback highlighted SPO2 acceptability. Violent conflict was identified as a contextual factor affecting local oxygen needs. We provide the preliminary findings of this implementation research study and describe the feasibility, fidelity, rapid adoption, usefulness, and acceptability of SPO2 in a low-resource setting characterized by violent conflict during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings demonstrated the lifesaving feasibility of SPO2 in volatile settings.
AB - Access to therapeutic oxygen in low-resource settings remains a significant global problem. Solar powered oxygen (SPO2) delivery is a reliable and cost-effective solution. We followed implementation research methodology to gather data on engineering parameters (remote monitoring), nurse training (before and after knowledge questionnaire), patients treated with SPO2 (descriptive case series), and qualitative user feedback (focus group discussions). In January 2021, SPO2 was installed at Hanano General Hospital in Dusamareb, Galmudug State, Somalia, in a conflict-affected region. Daily photovoltaic cell output (median 8.0 kWh, interquartile range (IQR) 2.6–14) exceeded the electrical load from up to three oxygen concentrators (median 5.0 kWh, IQR 0.90–12). Over the first six months after implementation, 114 patients (age 1 day to 89 years, 54% female) were treated for hypoxaemic illnesses, including COVID-19, pneumonia, neonatal asphyxia, asthma, and trauma. Qualitative end user feedback highlighted SPO2 acceptability. Violent conflict was identified as a contextual factor affecting local oxygen needs. We provide the preliminary findings of this implementation research study and describe the feasibility, fidelity, rapid adoption, usefulness, and acceptability of SPO2 in a low-resource setting characterized by violent conflict during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings demonstrated the lifesaving feasibility of SPO2 in volatile settings.
KW - asphyxia
KW - conflict
KW - COVID-19
KW - Implementation research
KW - oxygen
KW - solar powered oxygen delivery
KW - Somalia
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85132310752&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13623699.2022.2081056
DO - 10.1080/13623699.2022.2081056
M3 - Article
C2 - 35730216
AN - SCOPUS:85132310752
SN - 1362-3699
VL - 38
SP - 140
EP - 158
JO - Medicine, Conflict and Survival
JF - Medicine, Conflict and Survival
IS - 2
ER -