Medical devices include technologies to screen, diagnose, treat, palliate, assist and are used in all health care levels, yet many of them are not available, not accessible, not safe or not affordable to all the patients that need them. Much has been done but much remains to be done! So, the Forum will bring together multiple stakeholders to share information and discuss the best way forward to ensure med tech for better patient care.
The changing world presents new challenges, for medical devices to address: the Sustainable Development Goals, the climate change, scientific and technological advances, as well as increasing events of crisis and emergencies, as indicated in the WHO 14th Global Program of work.
WHO has convened 4 Fora: the 1st Global Forum in Bangkok in 2010, the 2nd in Geneva in 2013, and the 3rd also in Geneva in 2017. The 4th Global Forum was held in Visakhapatnam, India, in 2018. Fora have been attended by participants from over 90 Member States. These events serve to share information on medical devices for global health priorities.
Since the 4th Global Forum, World Health Assembly mandates related to medical devices had been approved and need to be implemented, ie: Increasing access to medical oxygen, Strengthening diagnostics capacity and Standardization of medical devices nomenclature.
The programme of the 5th GFMD, will consider sessions on: Selection of Priority Medical Devices, Medical Devices information system, Essential in vitro diagnostics, innovation, regulation, health technology assessment for medical devices, health technology management (needs assessment, procurement, technical specifications, donations, maintenance and appropriate safe use), local production and technology transfer of medical devices, sustainability, development of national lists, human resources for medical devices, primary health care and the relation with the disease areas: communicable, emergencies and non-communicable. More information on Registration and program will be announced in 2025.
Objectives of the Forum
- To define methods of increasing access to essential and priority medical devices under Universal Health Coverage in compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals
- To share country evidence of best practices in regulating, assessment and management of medical devices
- To demonstrate development and use of innovative appropriate affordable technologies to respond to global health priorities
- To share WHO tools and guidelines on medical devices for better implementation
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