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Indicator name:
Medical devices: Biomedical engineers density (per 10 000 population)
Short name:
Biomedical engineers density (per 10 000 population)
Data type:
Ratio
Indicator Id:
4584
Topic:
Health systems resources
Rationale:
Within health systems around the world, trained and qualified biomedical engineering professionals and biomedical engineering technicians are required to design, evaluate, regulate, acquire, maintain, manage and train on the safe use of the medical healthcare technologies. These professions should now be considered as part of the health workforce, as stated in the ILO, ISCO-08 report and the “Global strategy on human resources for health: Workforce 2030”. These professionals have an important role in health care systems to ensure access and safe use of health technology, an essential element of health service delivery.
Definition:
Number of biomedical engineers (holding the corresponding university degree) and biomedical technicians per 10,000 population.
Method of measurement
Data has been collected from three different sources. Firstly from WHO Biomedical Engineering Global Resources Surveys rolled out to government offices and ministries of health. Secondly from direct reporting from the International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE) (an NGO in official relation with WHO) and other professional societies. Finally data was collected from Universities offering a biomedical engineering programme in Bachelor, Master or Doctoral level.
M&E Framework:
Input
Method of estimation:
Information collected directly from country focal points from ministries of health through the country survey on medical devices 2020-2021 update, conducted by HQ/MHP/HPS/MDD: Medical Devices and Diagnostics. The denominator, population data, was obtained from World Population Prospects 2019 Revision (2020 medium estimates). Previously the information was collected directly from country focal points from ministries of health through the baseline country survey on medical devices 2013 and 2010 update,, conducted by HQ/HIS/EMP/PAU. Updated data have been recovered from two other surveys released in 2015 and in 2017 to obtain a better coverage. Predominant type of statistics: Unadjusted.
Other possible data sources:
Administrative reporting systems
Preferred data sources:
Key informant surveys
Unit of Measure:
Per 10,000 people
Expected frequency of data dissemination:
Biannual
Contact person email:
medicaldevices@who.int
Name:
Ms Adriana Velazquez Berumen
IMRID:
4584
Links:
WHO medical devices
Global strategy on human resources for health: Workforce 2030
Biomedical engineering global resources
Indicator Metadata Registry List
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