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FIND’s intervention statement on all priorities at the 1st G20 Health Working Group meeting for South Africa’s G20 Presidency


Delivered by Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, FIND, Chief Transformation Officer/CEO
24 January 2025, virtual

FIND congratulates the South African G20 Presidency for prioritizing Health Equity, Solidarity and Universal Health Coverage. Addressing the diagnostics gap is crucial to achieving this agenda and building an equitable and inclusive global health architecture. FIND also welcomes the invitation to this Health Working Group.

To advance primary health care, we urge the G20 to build diagnostic strategies, invest in innovative primary care technologies, and strengthen regulatory frameworks for safe, high-quality diagnostic services.

To strengthen the health workforce, we must invest in digital health technologies. We ask the G20 to support adoption of AI and clinical decision support systems to enhance efficiency, implement digital inclusion policies, and invest in digital health training for health workers in LMICs.

On improving access to NCD health products, the G20 should focus on driving affordability and availability of high-quality diagnostics for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, integrating them into primary health care. Strategies like price agreements and market-shaping initiatives can ensure uninterrupted access. Additionally, addressing barriers to screening and ensuring equitable access to high-quality diagnostics for women will be vital to eliminating cervical cancer.

FIND applauds the Presidency’s commitment to strengthening Pandemic Preparedness and Response. We call on the G20 to prioritize sustained investments in strengthening the diagnostic ecosystem including the development and deployment of multiplex and rapid diagnostic tests at the point of care.

Finally, the G20 can bolster public-private collaboration to enhance science and innovation ecosystems by supporting co-investments in R&D, incentives for local manufacturing, capacity building, streamlined regulatory pathways and open access to knowledge sources. FIND stands ready to partner with the G20 to turn this vision into a reality.

Thank you.