Post-conflict rapid assessment of medical devices in Libya. Photo credit: WHOThe health and biomedical devices programme promotes, coordinates and implements technical cooperation activities aimed at strengthening national capabilities. The programme was established in 2009 to deal with all issues related to health technology assessment and management, in particular medical devices.

It aims at supporting countries in all phases of the health technology life cycle, including assessment and prioritization of needs, management of procurement and donation, installation and training, maintenance and disposal.

The programme is part of the team responsible for the implementation of the Global Initiative on Health Technologies. Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the initiative aims to help make available the benefits of core health technologies at an affordable price, particularly to communities in resource-limited settings, in order to effectively control important health problems.

Programme objectives

promote rational, informed and appropriate strategic planning, macro-assessment and/or micro-assessment of the regional situation of medical devices, taking into account available resources and technology transfer issues;

develop national capabilities in selection, procurement, commissioning and management, including maintenance and repair, of appropriate, safe, efficient and affordable medical devices at all levels of health care systems;

improve national and regional capacities for standardization, regulation and evaluation of the efficacy and safety of medical devices;

identify regional centres of excellence and develop their institutional (and individual) capacity in support of regional training and provision of technical expertise.

Related programmes

Vaccine preventable diseases and immunization