SMTL training laboratories in World Bank Project

The Surgical Material Testing Laboratory (SMTL) have been invited to participate in a World Bank project to expand the production of basic medical devices and personal protective equipment (PPE) around the world.

In support of the World Bank International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) Global Health Platform, a Global Advisory Program on PPE was launched in 2020. The program’s main objective is to support the diversification of global supply chains for PPE and to work with manufacturers and governments in developing countries to increase the manufacturing and supply of quality PPE in those countries.

One critical knowledge gap identified is a lack of laboratory testing capabilities and knowledge on technical regulations and standards for medical devices and PPE across countries.  To address this a PPE Benchmarking Technical Guide and Laboratories Capacity Building project is being implemented by the British Standards Institution (BSi) on behalf of IFC.

BSi have invited SMTL to conduct training sessions on medical device testing for a number of participating laboratories from Jordan, India and Vietnam.  In addition, SMTL have also been invited to participate in the global launch ceremony for the publication of the Technical Benchmarking Guide for COVID-19-related PPE (June 2022).  SMTL’s Technical Director Pete Phillips will be participating in a panel discussion providing insights into the challenges faced by laboratories as they relate to the global variations in PPE standards.