Why is Tuberculosis diagnosis still a problem?

Over 1.5 million people lost their lives to Tuberculosis (TB) last year. And each year, there are over 10 million new cases. 40% of these cases are not even diagnosed.

This has been happening for decades. Long before Covid-19.

​

The identification of TB causing mycobacteria is essential in diagnosing TB. Only 56% of TB cases are confirmed; a large number of patients go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for long periods, unintentionally spreading TB in their family, communities, and those they come in contact with. 

​

Widely used smear microscopy is only 50% accurate. State-of-the-art NAAT tests are too expensive to do for all suspected patients, and are often in centralized places, away from the lives of those affected.​