Foto de Edwin Hooper.
Without a doubt, the recent disease pandemic caused by COVID-SARS 19 created a profound crisis that put each and every inhabitant of the planet to the test. We all know that every component of the healthcare system, from the building infrastructure to the healthcare personnel, was equally strained. Most of these healthcare workers were pushed to the limit of their strength and were the irrefutable heroes of this event.
The gap in developing countries was marked to an even greater level. Each of the shortcomings in government systems and policies (health, economy and labor, social protection, education and gender) were revealed as if they were deep wounds barely able to heal. With Covid-19, each economy was made transparent, even in the poorest corners of the earth, and brought light to each of the dark recesses of extreme confinement.
But it also revealed the "humanity" of goodness and kindness, of compassion, and of love. Accompanying from the soul and from afar, with calls and video-calls, with applause through the windows at the same time for the health personnel and all "The Indispensables" who were on the front lines.
It gave way to creativity by blazing trails with "Senior Hour" in supermarkets in many countries. Self-convened support groups gathered for a few hours to shop for those most affected.
And last but not least, ironically, at a crucial point where global pollution and climate change hang like a “sword of Damocles” over our planet and humanity, the near standstill of pollution when the world came to a halt ... was a breath of fresh air. (literally and figuratively)
The World Health Organization (WHO) was one of the key players during the development of this global crisis.
The organization had already launched a project since 2011 to respond to different diseases or specific clinical interventions. In each case, it drew up a list of priority medical devices needed for diagnosis, treatment or rehabilitation.
During the Covid 19 pandemic crisis, additional lists were drafted. One served as an update to a previous list, with updated clinical guidelines on care, use of diagnostic techniques and rational use of personal protective equipment, as well as technical specifications. The aim of this list is for the WHO Member States to use it as a reference for drawing up their national lists according to local priorities, infrastructure and available resources.
It also served as a reference to determine other actions to be taken, such as the WHO's call to industry and governments to increase the production of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), In-vitro diagnostic tests, oxygen administration systems, ventilators and other related medical equipment that were indispensable in saving lives and controlling the disease.
It is important to note that due to the constantly evolving and largely unknown characteristics of this disease, WHO has been routinely issuing updates as needed, or else a revision will be made every two years.
The main updates of this second priority device list are for the following categories:
Three types of invasive ventilators: sub-acute care ventilator, intensive care ventilator and transport ventilator.
Diagnostic imaging equipment: ultrasound, radiographer, CT scanner.
Automated diagnostic tests: Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and antigen detection.
Level two surgical mask for healthcare personnel.
These medical devices, as well as their technical specifications, are and were essential for a successful outcome. For example, the micronage to open the pores of the masks to avoid contagion and propagation, an at-home pulse oximeter to detect any decrease in oxygen saturation and consideration for hospitalization, among others.
The main process applied by the organization to elaborate and expand on the list included the following steps:
Define the disease
List the medical devices
Specify their exact technical specifications
The updating of data as the research yielded new discoveries and results.
This objective tasked them to methodologically review guidelines for the approach, diagnosis, prevention and control; Define which medical devices are required for each intervention; And classify them according to their intended use, duration of use and environment.
This list also serves as a guide for the healthcare industry in each clinical area, including from primary to tertiary; and at the different levels of care, from protection and prevention, through diagnosis, treatment, to rehabilitation or palliative care.
"We don't know how strong we are until we are forced to bring out that hidden strength. In times of tragedy, of war, of need, people do amazing things. The human capacity for survival and renewal is impressive," Isabel Allende, Chilean writer.
Resources:
World Health Organization: Priority medical devices list for the COVID-19 response and associated technical specifications; Interim Guidance, November 2020.
file:///C:/Users/USUARIO/Downloads/WHO-2019-nCoV-MedDev-TS-O2T.V2-eng.pdf
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