A great deal of knowledge already exists in the global health community regarding maternal, neonatal, and child health (MNCH) medical devices and the challenges/barriers they face. But this knowledge is currently scattered across a variety of donor, partner, country, and academic sources, and as a result, is not easily accessible to the broader community. As such, PATH—under the Market Dynamics for MNCH Medical Devices project (MD4MD)—conducted a rapid desk research exercise focused on compiling information that was either publicly available or easily accessible, including: published literature, multilateral organization resources (such as policy briefs, technical reports, and guidelines); implementing partner projects (such as assessments, landscapes, and technical reports); donor investment documents; and expert interviews with relevant project leads and medical device experts.

This evidence review focuses on eight specific devices: (1) manual blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer); (2) electric bCPAP device; (3) neonatal resuscitation device; (4) x-ray radiography machine; (5) point-of-care hemoglobin meter; (6) infusion device; (7) ultrasound (app-based “pocket” devices); and (8) ultrasound (traditional portable devices).

The goal of these documents is to (1) summarize for policymakers and health system leaders the most important barriers that MNCH devices face, and (2) highlight potential interventions and key knowledge gaps to prioritize with future investments.