🔆A Medical Oxygen Access Gap SE Asia Must Bridge ✅The Lancet Global Health Commission on medical oxygen security reveals that South Asia and East Asia and the Pacific bear the brunt of this crisis, with an oxygen service coverage gap of 78% and 74% respectively. ✅These figures underline the massive shortfall in oxygen availability, despite its fundamental role in treating conditions ranging from pneumonia and sepsis to COVID-19 and obstetric emergencies. ✅While emergency interventions during the pandemic brought short-term relief, progress has since stalled. ✅The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasised the need for sustained investment and policy commitment to maintain momentum. ✅Their 2022 report from the South-East Asia Region stresses that equitable access to oxygen is both a healthcare imperative and a matter of social justice. #gs2 #ir #prelims @upsc_4_ir @upsc_the_hindu_ie_editorial