With support from the Global Fund, the federal government has deployed 333 Truenat devices across the country to combat tuberculosis and drug-resistant TB (DR-TB).

Rita Akpakpan, head of Laboratory Services at the Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Program (NTBLCP), disclosed this to journalists on the sidelines of the 2024 National Tuberculosis Conference on Thursday in Abuja.

Ms Akpakpan said the initiative was expected to transform TB diagnostics in peripheral and underserved areas, significantly boosting case detection rates and improving access to timely care.

“Nigeria accounts for 75 per cent of the global ‘missing TB cases’ and 70 per cent of missing DR-TB cases due to limited access to rapid molecular testing in rural and remote areas.

“The Truenat system, developed by India-based Molbio Diagnostics, offers a portable, battery-operated, and solar-compatible solution designed for point-of-care testing,” she said.

She said Truenat had proven to drastically reduce diagnostic turnaround times while increasing TB case detection rates.

“This deployment will enable NTBLCP to test an additional 8,000 people daily, or two million more annually, helping to curtail community transmission and ensuring early treatment,” she said.

According to her, the Truenat device stands out for its suitability in resource-limited settings.

“The device is compact, rugged, and dust-tolerant. It operates efficiently in temperatures of up to 40°C without air conditioning and has minimal biosafety issues. This makes it ideal for Nigeria’s remote and high-temperature regions,” she said.

She said the system could detect TB and Rifampicin resistance by extracting, amplifying, and identifying specific genomic DNA, providing rapid and accurate results at the point of care.

Emperor Ubochioma, the programme management unit team lead, emphasised the transformative nature of the initiative:

“This deployment empowers our healthcare system with advanced diagnostic tools that reach hard-to-reach areas. We are confident that this will significantly improve TB detection rates and treatment outcomes, reducing the burden of TB in our country,” he said.

He said that to ensure seamless implementation, Molbio Diagnostics and NTBLCP conducted nationwide training sessions for end users alongside installing the devices.

Sriram Natarajan, Molbio Diagnostics CEO, said, “The deployment of 333 Truenat devices in Nigeria marks a significant milestone in our mission to provide innovative diagnostic solutions to underserved regions.

“We are committed to supporting Nigeria in its fight against TB and improving public health outcomes.

“Endorsed by the World Health Organisation, the Truenat system also offers multi-disease diagnostic capabilities for other infectious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis, malaria, and STIs. It is paving the way for broader healthcare applications in Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, experts said as Nigeria stepped up its efforts to eliminate TB, the deployment of Truenat devices signals a bold move toward leveraging innovation to address public health challenges.

They said with increased diagnostic capacity and access to advanced tools, the country is poised to achieve significant progress in its fight against TB and DR-TB.

(NAN)