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FIND statement at the plenary session on the Global Innovation Hub during the 3rd G20 health working group meeting

Plenary session on the Global Innovation Hub

Delivered by Marta Fernandez Suarez, FIND, Chief Technology Officer
3 June 2024, Salvador, Brazil

Thank you, Chair.

Diagnostics are the cornerstone of a well-functioning healthcare system and can play a crucial role in accelerating the shift towards value-based healthcare models.
For example, digital diagnostic technologies can improve efficiency of healthcare systems by enabling quick and accurate diagnosis at point-of-care, tracking patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. Interventions like diagnostic network optimization (DNO) pioneered by FIND, enables the delivery of optimal testing services based on the needs of the community, capacity of the facility, cost efficiency and access to services, thus ensuring that the right mix of diagnostic solutions are delivered where they are needed the most, and at costs sustainable for health systems.

We heard earlier Dr. Reem talk about value for money, value for many, and value over time. Investments in diagnostics provide this value. In 2023 alone, over 86 million FIND-supported diagnostic products for TB, HIV, malaria, leishmaniasis and other conditions were distributed worldwide. This improved access to diagnostics is estimated to have averted around 5 million DALYs and saved an estimated $US 18 billion in terms of societal value of health gains.
Thus, as the G20 evaluates strategies to accelerate transition to high value health systems, it would be critical to consider measures that strengthen access to diagnostics such as:

  • Incorporating indicators that track the value of diagnostic services in outcome measurement systems such as accessibility, accuracy and speed of testing.
  • Supporting streamlined regulatory pathways and enabling policies to strengthen scale up of digital diagnostic technologies and adopting interoperability standards to build robust digital data systems,
  • Supporting pooled procurement mechanisms to strengthen value-based procurement,
  • Adopting interventions like diagnostic network optimization, which enhance the impact of patient-centered testing services.

We support the G20 and the Global Innovation Hub’s efforts to build more equitable, resilient and responsive health services worldwide.

Thank you.