The Lifebox-Smile Train Pulse Oximeter

Improving anesthesia safety through the distribution of pulse oximeters developed for use in low-resource settings.

A pulse oximeter is an essential piece of monitoring equipment that keeps patients safe during and after surgery, by measuring the oxygen levels in a person’s blood. Pulse oximeters are a minimum standard of safe anesthesia, and yet thousands of operating and recovery beds in low-resource settings still lack this critical device.

The Lifebox-Smile Train pulse oximeter is a low-cost, high-quality device designed for use in low-resource environments.  Since 2011, Lifebox has distributed 33,400 pulse oximeters – alongside training – to healthcare providers around the world to improve anesthesia safety. Over the next three years, we plan to distribute 11,000 Lifebox-Smile Train pulse oximeters to facilities in more than 20 countries to make surgery safer for 14 million patients.

The Lifebox-Smile Train pulse oximeter can be purchased directly from Lifebox. Lifebox also donates pulse oximeters  thanks to the generosity of our donors. Please email Lifebox at [email protected].

Play video Lifebox-Smile Train pulse oximeter

Lifebox-Smile Train pulse oximeter

Improving access to pulse oximetry through the distribution of our pulse oximeter

“The impact of Lifebox has been that we no longer provide anesthesia without a pulse oximeter, we have understood that without it, anesthesia is very dangerous. I can honestly say today, that there’s almost no provision of anesthesia, no anesthesia at all, provided without a pulse oximeter, and this is thanks to Lifebox”.
Professor Eugène Zoumenou, Chief of Anesthesia, Hospital for Mothers and Children, Cotonou, Benin, Director of Anesthesia Education, University of Abomey-Calavi

Report: A Critical Gap

A new report by Smile Train-Lifebox on pulse oximetry in low-and middle-income countries


As part of the Smile Train-Lifebox Safe Surgery and Anesthesia Initiative, Lifebox and Smile Train are strengthening the safety of anesthesia through pulse oximetry. Together, our two organizations are investing in pulse oximetry and over the next three years, will distribute 11,000 pulse oximeters to healthcare workers across 20 countries – making surgery safer for 14 million patients. To reflect this shared commitment to safer anesthesia, you will notice that our pulse oximeter now includes both Lifebox and Smile Train logos.

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