On June 22, 2023, CHS in collaboration with the Ministry of Health’s National TB Program, Nairobi City County, USAID Kenya, University of Nairobi and World Vision Kenya, hosted Dr Atul Gawande, USAID Assistant Administrator for Global Health at Mathare North Health Centre, Nairobi for an experience sharing and lessons learnt visit.
With support from USAID and Stop TB Partnership, CHS through its USAID Kenya funded Tuberculosis Accelerated Response and Care II (TB ARC II) activity, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Health’s National TB Program and other partners are implementing the Introducing New TB Tools Project (iNTP). The project aims to support Kenya in reaching the 2022 targets for the detection and treatment of TB, drug-resistant TB, and TB infection set by the 2018 UN High-Level Meeting on TB.
iNTP involves rolling out the latest innovations in diagnostics, treatment, and digital health technologies to strengthen TB care in Kenya. Through iNTP, Kenya has adopted the following tools for TB screening, diagnosis, and prevention;
- Shorter patient-centric treatment courses for TB preventative therapy: 3RH regimen to benefit 13,000 persons
- Eight portable AI-enabled digital chest X-ray machines with accompanying software for the computer-aided detection of TB (CAD4B)
- 38 portable and battery-powered Truenat machines for molecular TB testing that can be easily used in hard-to-reach areas where reliable electricity supply is unavailable
- Two Interferon-Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) machines to aid in the detection of latent TB infection
- Medication sleeves for 5,000 patients with TB as part of Digital Adherence Technology (DAT) and,
- Connectivity solution for all TB diagnostic equipment known as TIBULIMS.
Among the recipients of the novel iNTP solutions is Mathare North Health Centre which has received an AI-enabled digital chest x-ray, is implementing the shorter course TB preventive therapy, and is a recipient of the Digital Adherence Technology solution for TB patients.
The digital chest x-ray machine is addressing barriers to TB diagnosis as it is able to interpret results using computer-aided technology and therefore very useful when radiologist specialists are not readily available. It is also free, artificial intelligence-enabled and portable making it particularly useful for screening patients in high-risk groups, hard-to-reach areas and conduct outreaches in low income areas such as the nearby informal settlements.
Data from the facility indicates a trajectory utilisation of the AI-enabled digital chest x-ray in finding missing TB cases through in-facility and outreach activities. Since its roll out in July 2022, until March 2023, 2,307 clients have been screened for TB of whom 161 had a CAD score above 60. Out of these, 60 individuals were diagnosed with bacteriologically confirmed TB and 38 with clinically diagnosed TB.
Additionally, 26,890 individuals have been initiated on the shorter course TB Preventive Therapy, while 2,962 TB patients have been enrolled on the Digital Adherence solution.
This data reflects individuals who are benefiting from TB preventive therapy, early TB diagnosis & treatment initiation to interrupt TB transmission in the community, and provision of patient centric TB adherence to ensure TB cure & reduce mortality.
CHS remains committed to supporting health facilities like Mathare North Health Centre to provide quality of care, and patient centred services.
