Nearly half the world can't get a timely diagnosis — global leaders are pushing to change that

At the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin, the Global Diagnostics Coalition (GDC) brought together leaders from government, global health, industry, and civil society to tackle one of healthcare's most persistent blind spots: the global diagnostic gap. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus set the tone, warning that without timely and accurate diagnostics, "we're flying blind" — and that resilient health systems must be built before crises hit.

Patient advocate Carol Nawina put a human face on the issue, sharing her own experience of delayed diagnoses for HIV, tuberculosis, and cancer. She called for diagnostic services to be organized around communities and people — not individual diseases — and urged decision-makers to treat community voices as evidence, not just anecdotes.

Expert panelists echoed the need for innovation tailored to country needs, stronger data on diagnostics' economic value, and clearer national diagnostic priorities to avoid fragmented, disease-specific approaches.

By the Numbers:

• 47% of the world's population lacks access to a timely, reliable diagnosis
• The GDC operates through 3 pillars: Illuminate, Champion, and Integrate

Why it matters: Diagnostic gaps delay treatment, drive up costs, and undermine pandemic preparedness. Closing this gap is foundational to achieving universal health coverage and building health systems that can withstand future crises.