Health ministry launches national medical equipment reference

Mohamed Seddik Aït Messaoudene, Minister of Health, oversaw the launch. The reference was prepared by the General Directorate of Pharmacy and Health Equipment, with contributions from experts and practitioners from many specialties.

The ministry said the reference is part of its effort to organise and unify reference documents on health equipment. A single national framework would support the development of the health system and make the management of medical equipment more effective, the ministry said.

The reference covers 38 medical specialties and eight technical groups. It lists 716 types of health equipment and 1,403 uses, and sets the equipment needed for each specialty and each level of care.

The reference uses four levels of care. Each item is classed as mandatory, recommended or unsuitable for each level.

It also sets the requirements for installing, operating and maintaining equipment. The aim is to make sure equipment suits the nature, tasks and capacities of each health institution.

Aït Messaoudene said the framework helps assess whether buying equipment is worthwhile. It counts the total cost of equipment over its life, including maintenance, installation and spare parts.

For health institutions, the reference sets out which equipment each level of care needs, and which it does not.