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FIND statement on priority 1 at the third health working group of the G20 in India

Priority 1:

Health emergencies prevention, preparedness and response (with focus on One Health and AMR)

Delivered by Bill Rodriguez, FIND CEO
Hyderabad, India, 4 June 2023

Thank you, Chair. I would first like to offer my condolences to the families of the victims of the tragic train accident in Odisha on Friday.

FIND acknowledges the importance of a coherent, coordinated governance for health emergencies prevention, preparedness and response based on the principles of collaboration, transparency, representation, and equity. We therefore support the proposed exercise for convergence of health emergencies prevention, preparedness and response (HEPPR) initiatives and stakeholders.

We note that preparedness for health emergencies and pandemics and related strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are likely to fail unless investments are made in strengthening diagnostic testing capacity, testing infrastructure, and the health workforce, both for surveillance and for clinical care, notably at the primary care level.

As a key stakeholder in strengthen the HEPPR ecosystem, we are committed to supporting a coordinated effort in each of three key areas:

  • Fast-tracked research and product development, coordinated through regional R&D and manufacturing hubs
  • Strengthened public health laboratory capacity for pathogen and genomic surveillance, including integrated digital platforms
  • Effective clinical care pathways through community-based test-and-treat approaches, ready to be implemented and scaled early during identified emergencies.

A lack of investment in quality, reliable tests will continue to threaten our global health security and jeopardize any gains made under COVID-19, as well as in the fight against AMR. The WHA Resolution on strengthening diagnostics capacity, which was adopted at the World Health Assembly 10 days ago, urges Member States to strengthen international collaboration during health emergencies, to commit resources towards diagnostics R&D, and to strengthen regional diagnostics production. FIND has created a technical roadmap for diagnostics R&D for HEPPR, which has been shared with the G7. As the G20 deliberates on mechanisms to strengthen HEPPR, we hope that commitments for greater investments in diagnostics R&D for enhanced surveillance, in regional manufacturing, and in ensuring equitable access to testing will remain a clear priority.