The WHO technical specifications for neonatal resuscitation devices were developed based on existing international standards, evidence-based publications from reliable sources and field expert experience. For equipment without prior technical specifications, recommendations were made based on a literature research, depending on quality and significance of evidence.

The purpose of WHO Technical Specifications of Neonatal Resuscitation Devices is to provide a minimum standard baseline to meet the increasing demand to procure good quality, affordable, accessible and appropriate neonatal resuscitation devices. The specifications are intended to support policy-makers, managers, procurement officers, manufacturers, regulators and nongovernmental agencies, especially in low- and middle-income countries to select, procure, use, reprocess and decommission appropriate neonatal resuscitation equipment. The end goal is to save the children, particularly in low-resource settings.