Interagency list of medical devices for essential interventions for reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health

At the present, the beginning of the twenty first century, many scientific, social, economic and technological advances have been made in health care. Yet every day, approximately 1000 women die from pregnancy related complications and childbirth, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. For every maternal death, another 30 women suffer long-lasting injury or illness that can result in lifelong pain, disability and socioeconomic exclusion. And every day, about 10 000 babies aged 28 days or younger die. Medical devices are indispensable tools for health care in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation, but their selection and appropriate use pose a significant challenge for essential reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health interventions. The objective of this project was to list the medical devices required to provide the essential reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health interventions defined by existing WHO guidelines and publications, in order to improve access to these devices in low- and middle-income countries, support quality of care, and strengthen health-care system. The medical devices are allocated across the reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health continuum of care according to the level of health-care delivery.