Here's the latest info shared by WHO's Adriana Velázquez regarding Medical Devices and the World Health Organization (February 2022).

Contents of February 2022 Newsletter:

Section 1: New WHO publications

Section 2: Events

• A reminder call for Essential in-vitro diagnostics is open
• Training videos on medical equipment for oxygen sources, delivery and monitoring
• World Hearing Day
• TB Pediatric Diagnostics Chest X Rays

Section 3: Consultants required for medical devices 2022 projects  

You can find all past newsletters here;  WHO medical devices information here; WHO in vitro diagnostics information here  and WHO oxygen-related here. New health technology assessment page here.

 
WHO COVID-19 Dashboard

Globally, as of 5:44 pm CET, 17 February 2022, there have been 416,614,051 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 5,844,097 deaths, reported to WHO. As of 15 February 2022, a total of 10,279,668,555 vaccine doses have been administered.

Globally, as of 4:42 pm CEST, January 20, 2022, there have been 336,790,193 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 5,560,718 deaths, reported to WHO. As of January 19, 2022, a total of 9,571,502,663 vaccine doses have been administered. 

Globally, as of 4:48 pm CEST, December 10, 2021, there have been 267,865,289 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 5,285,888 deaths, reported to WHO. As of December 9, 2021, a total of 8,158,815,265 vaccine doses have been administered.

New WHO Publications

1.1 World Cancer Day: closing the care gap: More information here

New Publication: Setting Up a Cancer Centre: A WHO–IAEA Framework

Setting Up a Cancer Centre: a WHO-IAEA Framework, being released by the World Health Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency for World Cancer Day, proposes a framework for both establishing a cancer center and strengthening the provision of services in existing centers.

Intended for policy-makers, program managers, and health professionals, it provides details of the infrastructure, human resources, and equipment required for essential services, taking into consideration local context and resources available.

1.2 Global analysis of health care waste in the context of COVID-19: More information here

Globally, safe waste management services for healthcare waste are lacking, especially in the least developed countries.

The latest available data (from 2019) indicate that 1 in 3 healthcare facilities globally does not safely manage healthcare waste.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to large increases in healthcare waste, straining under-resourced healthcare facilities and exacerbating environmental impacts from solid waste.

Open Calls and Events 

2.1 Call for in vitro diagnostics test to be added to the Essential in vitro diagnostic list  EDL4.

The details of the call including deadlines, priorities, and the submission process can be found here or here.

Additional information on the EDL can be found here.

2.2 Save the date, launch of training videos:  webinar Monday 28 of February 2022

More information on the event page: Webinar: Training videos for biomedical equipment for oxygen delivery systems

• 13.30 to 15:00 hrs. CET (Geneva time)
• Webinar by zoom, registrations will open on 22 February

After launch, the training course will be available in OpenWHO  https://openwho.org/pages/catalogues

2.3. World Hearing Day, 3rd March

More information at https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-hearing-day/2022

2.4 TB in children and the role of chest Radiography

WHO, together with the International Society of Radiology (ISR) and the World Federation of Pediatric Imaging (WFPI), will organize a joint webinar to commemorate World TB Day 2022 on Thursday, March 24 (afternoon European time).

It will be focused on the management of tuberculosis in children and adolescents and the role of chest radiography. Please make sure to mark your calendar!

More information here: World Tuberculosis Day 2022

Consultancy Open for 2022 Projects

WHO will be initiating new projects this year and continuing others and therefore is looking for consultants in the following areas listed below.

The timeline requested for most projects is about 6 months: March to September, depending on the project, time is variable.

No need to travel outside your own country. Consultant companies, academia, or individual expert can be considered.

Please note that the EOI that was received in January have been screened and short-listed candidates have or will be interviewed on the 14 and 21 of February.

For these new topics, please send an expression of interest (EOI) to medicaldevices@who.int by Friday 25 February, attaching an updated CV and area of interest. Thank you.

CTAP

• Objective: support assessment for technology transfer towards local production of medical devices for COVID-19.
• Requirements: 
  • Academics (Post-Graduate Degree) in Biomedical or Clinical Engineering or related fields. 
  • Professional Experience (>7 Years) as an Intellectual property lawyer. Innovation of medical devices. Knowledge of technology transfer and local production of medical equipment.
• More Information here and here.

Selection of priority medical devices for small and sick babies (including for NICU)

• Objective: support the selection, development of technical specifications, and training material of all medical devices required for small and sick babies, to update 2016 publication and associated devices in MeDevIS. Joint work with UNICEF and other NGOs.
• Requirements: 
  • Academics (Post-Graduate Degree) in Biomedical or Clinical Engineering or related fields. 
  • Professional Experience (>7 Years)1 in hospitals selecting, procuring, managing medical equipment and other medical devices. Policy level expertise in the development of national lists. Expertise in LMIC is desirable.
• More Information:
  • https://medevis.who-healthtechnologies.org/;
  • https://www.who.int/health-topics/newborn-health#tab=tab_1
  • Interagency List of Priority Medical Devices for Essential Interventions for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565028
  • https://www.who.int/activities/prioritizing-medical-devices 

IVDs mapping into the UHC Compendium

• Objective: for the provision of support to the EDL Secretariat for the ongoing mapping activities of IVD categories listed in the WHO Model list of essential in vitro diagnostics (WHO EDL) into the Universal Health Coverage Compendium (UHC-C) database and other IVDs as recommended by relevant WHO programs.
• Requirements: 
  • Academics (Post-Graduate Degree) ideally, clinical pathologist or clinical laboratory scientist, with hands-on experience performing POC tests and laboratory-based tests, preferable with a background in public health and familiar with the EDL.
  • Professional Experience (>7 Years) assessing listed interventions and actions in the UHC Compendium database and identifying the corresponding IVD test category from the EDL having into consideration the relevant characteristic of the IVD such as test purpose, assay format, and specimen type. She/he also needs to be able to propose additional laboratory equipment required to perform the tests. Other medical specialists with demonstrated experience in the use of laboratory tests (routine and specialty tests) and public health are also welcome to apply.
• More Information:
  • https://www.who.int/universal-health-coverage/compendium
  • https://www.who.int/teams/health-product-policy-and-standards/assistive-and-medical-technology/medical-devices/selection-access-and-use-in-vitro
  • https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240019102
  • https://edl.who-healthtechnologies.org/? 

Nomenclature of Medical Devices

• Objective: support the technical activities required by the WHO secretariat to comply with the requests of Member States from EB150 and intercessional meetings towards the World Health Assembly.
• Requirements: 
  • Academics (Post-Graduate Degree) in Biomedical or Clinical Engineering or related fields.
  • Professional Experience (>7 Years) on nomenclature, classification, and coding systems of medical devices used in ministries of health, national lists, regulatory agencies, supply, and procurement, managing medical equipment and other medical devices.
    Policy level expertise. Classification systems, UDI, databases. The standardization of nomenclature was discussed during the WHO Executive Board on 24-29 January 2022. The documents related to the Executive Board 150 can be found here.
• More Information:
  • https://www.who.int/teams/health-product-policy-and-standards/assistive-and-medical-technology/medical-devices/nomenclature
  • The standardization of nomenclature was discussed during the WHO Executive Board 150 on 29 January 2022, session 12, 9:10-12:30 am, Item 14. 

Personal Protective Equipment

• Objective: support the management of the research projects specifically on PPE and organize the scientific events, technical discussions and publications. Support the development of the WHO health topics site on PPE, the development of characteristics of PPE for women, and the development of technical specifications for prequalification assessment of PPE. 
  • Academics (Post-Graduate Degree) in Biomedical or Clinical Engineering or related fields /materials/ textile engineering or related disciplines for PPE. Technology innovation
  • Professional Experience (+10 Years) in biomedical engineering, coordination of international research teams, and organizing scientific events. Preferable previous experience with WHO. Knowledge on medical equipment, personal protective equipment standards, quality, regulatory approvals, manufacturing practices, testing protocols. Expertise in project management, research methods, publications. Timeline: 1 March to 30th September.
• More Information:
  • https://www.who.int/teams/health-product-policy-and-standards/assistive-and-medical-technology/medical-devices/ppe 
  • https://www.who.int/health-topics/infection-prevention-and-control#tab=tab_1
  • https://www.who.int/teams/health-product-policy-and-standards/assistive-and-medical-technology/medical-devices/ppe/ppe-covid  

Please Stay safe, take care, get vaccinated when possible, and wear your PPE!

Best wishes for a safe and healthier 2022!

Sincerely,

Adriana Velazquez Berumen, MSc. | Biomedical Clinical Engineer | Team Lead Medical Devices and In Vitro Diagnostics, MDD | Health Product Policy and Standards Department, HPS | Access to Medicines and Health Products Division, MHP | World Health Organization, WHO | Geneva, Switzerland

Email: velazquezberumena@who.int; medicaldevices@who.int   

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