Medical devices and supplies

The COVID-19 healthcare crisis demonstrated that disruptions in the production and supply chain of medicinal products and medical devices or the unexpected increase in the demand for certain products may cause issues with the availability of drugs and medical devices. Major problems with the supply of medical devices may also arise in the case of a security threat where the cross-border shipment of goods is impeded.

The Estonian Stockpiling Agency has established a national stockpile of medical devices and supplies in the extent ordered. In total, the stockpile includes just under 100 different types of medical devices and supplies intended for home use whose supply disruptions could adversely affect the health and quality of life of users.

The stockpile includes critically important equipment such as devices for monitoring blood sugar, ostomy care products, urination aids, supplies for laryngectomy and tracheostomy patients, and supplies for administering various medications.

The Estonian Stockpiling Agency started forming the stockpile in autumn 2024, when the first additional quantities of medical devices arrived at the warehouses. The list of products included in the stockpile is based on an analysis by the Health Insurance Fund and the Ministry of Social Affairs of the most commonly used and critically important medical devices.

The stockpile of medical devices has been established through cooperation between the state and private companies. The Estonian Stockpiling Agency has signed delegated stockpiling agreements with importers and wholesalers, by which the companies undertook to create, store, and continuously update additional stocks of medical devices. The stockpiling agency reimburses the contracting parties for the costs associated with maintaining additional stocks.

The companies who maintain the strategic stockpile of medical devices may not take the stockpile into use independently and may only use the stockpile with the permission of the Estonian Stockpiling Agency, subject to a government decision. In a situation where the supply of one or more medical devices to Estonia is disrupted, the strategic stockpile under state control will ensure their availability to people with chronic conditions.

In developing the model for establishing the national stockpile of medical devices and supplies, the Estonian Stockpiling Agency was advised by a panel of ten top specialists in the field of health care.

Pursuant to the Public Information Act, the exact nomenclature, quantities, locations, and criteria for use of the state’s operating stockpile are not public information.