The new technological device targeting elimination of Tuberculosis in Uganda was launched yesterday 24th January 2019 at Hotel Africana. Human Diagnostics Uganda Limited (HDUL) and Human Diagnostics Worldwide Launched the TB lamp that will be detecting mycobacterium and also detecting HIV related tuberculosis among patients.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Stavia Turyahabwe, the assistant Commissioner in charge of National Tuberculosis and leprosy said that the new device is the most effective method to eliminate all possible chances of missing detection of the disease.
She said “The humane-loop machine is a game changer because it eliminates chances of missing out on detecting TB in patients. Unlike in the past where we had cases of failure to identify the disease, this method addresses that gap,”
The method was earlier in 2016 recommended by the World Health Organisation replacing ‘smear microscopy’
Uganda remains among the high TB/HIV burden countries in the world. The country conducted the first national population-based TB disease prevalence survey in 2014/15 which estimated the prevalence of TB at 253/100,000. The survey also showed that Tuberculosis caused 80,000 new cases much higher than HIV (60,000 new cases).