Rapid Fire
India's TB Diagnostics Tech Wins Acclaim at WHA
- 17 Jun 2024
- 2 min read
Recently, the Truenat, a rapid molecular diagnostic test for pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB and rifampicin-resistant TB, was hailed at the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva.
Truenat:
- This portable, battery-operated machine can deliver results in less than an hour and can test for over 40 diseases.
- In India, it is used at over 7,000 primary and community health centres under the National TB Elimination Programme, and in around 1,500 private labs.
- The World Health Assembly (the decision-making body of the WHO) appreciated India’s effort to eliminate TB and recognized India's innovative initiatives including the use of Truenat machines and handheld X-ray devices as potential global models.
- Handheld X-ray devices are used in India's TB programme to diagnose TB in challenging operational environments.
- The WHO reports over 10 million new cases of TB every year.
- India accounts for 27% of the global TB burden. Over 1,400 patients die from TB every day in India
- Under Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan India aims to eliminate TB by the year 2025.
Read more: Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, India TB Report 2024
