WHO releases priority list of medical devices and interventions for stroke

06 Jul 2021

Medical devices play a major role in the management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in addition to clinical evaluation. There are many types of medical devices available to diagnose and treat NCDs. The current challenge of the health care system in individual countries is to select a priority list of devices to manage stroke and other NCDs.

World Stroke Organisation was invited to partner with WHO in the year 2018 to identify and list the priority medical devices in the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of stroke. Dr. Jeyaraj D Pandian, Vice President, gave a presentation in the 4th Global Forum of Medical devices which was held from 13 to 15 December 2018 in Vizag, India. Following the global forum, Dr. Pandian and Dr. Michel Patrik participated in multiple meetings with WHO. During the first week of July 2019, Dr. Patrik represented WSO in a round table discussion that was held in Geneva. Subsequently, Dr. Pandian and Dr. Patrik had many informal discussions with WHO staff to finalize the medical devices and interventions for stroke.

WHO list of priority medical devices for the management of cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and diabetes was released on June 30, 2021. The document will help health care providers to identify appropriate and relevant medical devices and develop a prioritized list that can serve as a reference for the Member States. Each country can develop or update its national lists of medical devices for public procurement, reimbursement, and tracking availability.

The document covers the list of medical devices and interventions (medical and surgical) for stroke at primary, secondary, and tertiary health care levels. The entire stroke continuum of care (prehospital assessment, emergency evaluation, imaging, acute care, medical and surgical interventions, rehabilitation, and palliative care) is included in the publication.

WHO also released the MeDevIS e-platform which will serve as a guide for health care professionals and member countries to select the appropriate medical devices and interventions for the management of NCDs. This publication will enable the policymakers to incorporate medical devices and interventions for stroke in the context of universal health coverage. The challenge for the countries is to implement these recommendations in their respective health care systems. WHO has enumerated the implementation strategies as well in this publication.

Dr Jeyaraj D Pandian

Vice-President, WSO