Access to Public Transport by Oxygen Users - A Neglected Situation Unveiled

Since 1980s, long-term oxygen therapy has been the standard of care for managing severe respiratory conditions, allowing more and more needy persons to be cared in the community nowadays. Although home oxygen therapy has become readily widespread, oxygen users in Hong Kong do not seem easy when living with their chronic illness. Accessibility to public transportation is a very important aspect in daily life for every person. Rights to access to public transportation services are believed to belong to all members in the society. However, oxygen users in Hong Kong will be denied to access public transportation services when they are travelling with compressed oxygen cylinders for their intrinsic medical needs. According to the existing ordinances in Hong Kong, compressed gas cylinders are classified as “dangerous goods” thus are prohibited from conveying on board to public transportation. A survey, followed by a sharing session and press conference, was conducted in local community to investigate the barriers of transportation use from the personal perspectives of oxygen users with the ultimate aim to improve public awareness towards the difficult situation they have been facing.