Fiji Oxygen Project

Since 2016, Cure Kids has partnered with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to ensure that healthcare centres across Fiji have sustainable access to oxygen. This collaboration aims to improve the treatment of hypoxaemia (oxygen deprivation) in children with pneumonia and other serious respiratory conditions. 

Addressing the Need for Oxygen in Fiji 

Cure Kids has funded Associate Professor Stephen Howie of the University of Auckland, who works closely with the Fijian government to address the critical challenge of making oxygen more accessible and affordable for patients in Fiji. 

The Fiji Oxygen Project has introduced new technology to supply and deliver oxygen, including solar-powered oxygen systems that ensure 24/7 access to oxygen even in areas with unreliable power. 

Respiratory Conditions in Fiji: A Critical Health Challenge 

Pneumonia remains one of the leading causes of death in both children and adults in Fiji, with new-born infants also at high risk of death from hypoxaemia. Timely treatment with oxygen can reduce the risk of death by 35%. 

Oxygen therapy is included in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) list of essential medicines because it can prevent illness and death in both children and adults. However, oxygen can be expensive and logistically challenging to provide, especially in remote areas such as Fiji’s outer islands and highland regions. 

The Oxygen Solution 

The Fiji Oxygen Programme aims to improve access to oxygen across the country, using a systems-based approach to ensure that care is high-quality, cost-effective, and sustainable. 

The programme builds on global research, including studies by Associate Professor Stephen Howie, to enhance the availability of oxygen and improve the detection and management of hypoxic illnesses. The Fiji Oxygen Programme has field-tested oxygen concentrators, portable machines that filter out nitrogen from the air and provide highly concentrated oxygen to patients. These concentrators are paired with essential tools like pulse oximeters, which help healthcare professionals monitor oxygen levels and detect urgent needs, and solar panels to ensure a reliable power supply. 

This system is designed to be scalable and sustainable, forming a part of a broader national plan to ensure that every community in Fiji has reliable access to oxygen. 

 Key Objectives of the Fiji Oxygen Project 

1. Establish a team with diverse skills, experience, and relationships to deliver oxygen therapy; 
2. Procure and distribute the necessary equipment to enable oxygen therapy; 
3. Provide training programmes for staff across the health system; 
4. Gather and analyse information, including real-time data, to ensure effective management; and 
5. Provide the Fiji government with the information needed to ensure planning for the sustainable access to oxygen. 

 Project Support 

The Fiji Oxygen Programme has been made possible through the generous funding of our key supporters, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT), the Rotary Club of Remuera Inc Auckland, New Zealand), and the Rotary Club of Suva, Fiji. The Rotary Grant, which includes funds from the international Rotary Foundation, is enabling installation of 24 additional oxygen concentrators in eight new sites around Fiji. 

Support from Australia Aid, the FIJI Water Foundation’s Wonderful Giving Programme, ANZ, Armacup, Captain Cook Cruises, VOMO Island Fiji, and Ranadi Organics has also been instrumental in making this project a success. 

Ensuring No Child Dies for Lack of Oxygen 

COVID-19 Response: Addressing Urgent Oxygen Needs 

During the three waves of COVID-19, the need for oxygen treatment became even more critical. In September 2021, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) awarded Cure Kids NZD 4 million to help coordinate efforts to supply oxygen for patients affected by the pandemic. 

Our team worked closely with Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services to distribute vital oxygen equipment where it was most needed and to provide support, training, and advice to frontline healthcare workers. 

As Fiji faced a severe outbreak of the delta variant before vaccines were available, thousands of people were hospitalized with severe illness. Cure Kids was able to help meet the urgent need for emergency oxygen during this critical period while also continuing to work toward the long-term goal of sustainable oxygen access for children in Fiji. 

The Fiji Oxygen Programme continues to make significant strides in improving healthcare for children and families across Fiji. Thanks to the support of our partners and donors, we are working to ensure that no child in Fiji ever has to suffer from a lack of access to oxygen.