Diagnostic Network Optimization: The Key to Unlocking Global Health Challenges at the 77th World Health Assembly

In one year, experts will gather at the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva to address the most pressing health challenges. One of these challenges is access to diagnostics, which remains a major issue in low- and middle-income countries due to fragmented supply chains and market barriers.

Accurate and rapid diagnostic tests are crucial for effective treatment and care of threats such as HIV, tuberculosis, emerging infectious diseases, and antimicrobial resistance. Diagnostic network optimization (DNO) is a process used by most countries to identify gaps, limitations, and inefficiencies in healthcare networks and delivery. However, much of the information collected during these processes is not fully utilized, which hampers progress.

Foreign Policy and Cepheid are hosting an event on May 30th to discuss ways to leverage DNO insights for better pathogen detection, strengthening global health systems, achieving universal health coverage, and combating antimicrobial resistance. The event will take place from 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM CET on May 30th, 2024.