Minimum package for sustainable laboratory systems: A framework for prioritizing laboratory systems strengthening in the context of reduced external funding

Diagnostics play a central role in ensuring quality health care and are fundamental to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and meeting disease elimination targets, including UNAIDS 95-95-95 and the End TB Strategy. The recent World Health Assembly resolution on strengthening diagnostics capacity highlighted the importance of incorporating diagnostics into universal health care packages and prioritising their accessibility at the primary health care level. Medical laboratories are essential, not only for supporting patient diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring, but also in pandemic preparedness, emergency response, and healthcare delivery, particularly in resource-constrained countries. Moreover, critical public health decisions concerning health security, national development and meeting international obligations, such as those established in the International Health Regulations (2005), depend upon quality and timely laboratory results.

This document outlines the guiding questions and core components of the minimum package of care, offering a framework that can be used by Laboratory Directors, policymakers and technical working groups to sustain laboratory services in the context of reduced funding. It is available in English, French, and Portuguese.