Thanks for pointing out the potentially disasterous difference between the levels of care we westerners have come to expect and that which we may find while traveling.

We often mistake poverty for ignorance. Given the choice I am certain that any medical professional who is basically aware of infection would use sterile equipment every time. Unfortunately not even all american services can afford to treat everything as disposable. The hard choice between possible infection from needle or mask reuse or certain death from lack of treatment is usually required because of the lack of funding necessary to replace items after single use.

In the experience you relate about medivac, do you know if they wiped down the Ox mask with alcohol after use or autoclaved the needles for re-use? I would think that even in impoverished conditions that these precautions could be taken.