When point-of-care tools are deployed at point-of-need, impact happens
India launched a massive 100-days campaign (7 December 2024 to 24 March 2025) to screen everyone among high-risk populations of 347 districts with ultraportable and handheld X-Rays which were powered with artificial intelligence (AI) computer-aided detection (CAD) of TB capacities (as far as possible). The concept note of this campaign on a government website states that those with presumptive TB should be offered an upfront WHO recommended molecular test Truenat. Truenat is a point-of-care, decentralised, battery-operated, and laboratory independent molecular test for TB.
The concept note of 100 days campaign states that point-of-care screening tool (X-Ray) and diagnostic test (Truenat) should be taken in a 'Nikshay Vahan' van to point-of-need where high-risk populations reside.
In a span of 100 days, India could screen over 120 million people across the country from high-risk groups. More importantly, India found 285,000 people with active TB disease who had no symptoms (asymptomatic or sub-clinical TB). These people would not have been found with TB disease if an X-Ray was not done. Imagine the public health impact of finding 285,000 asymptomatic people with TB disease early on, and putting them on effective treatment - so that not only infection stops spreading to others but also they get on the path of healing and recovery.
Now, after 24 March 2025, India has expanded this campaign nationwide.
"We were the first country to actually position Indian indigenous technology (Truenat) to support the Gene Xpert molecular test. The investment and support by the government and agencies like Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) was important in the initial days when the test (Truenat) was being standardised and undergoing multicentric validations, and then it was poised for the programme to adopt it. Based on evidence, Indian government's National TB Elimination Programme adopted Truenat in 2018. Today India has a network of over 9000 NAAT systems across the country - deployed at the level of primary health centres, community health centres and even at the block levels," said Dr Singh.
Developing, standardising and validating made-in-India health technologies and deploying them "is about making the country self-reliant," said Dr Singh. "Today, Truenat is in fact, getting exported to 82 countries. So, that is where our Indian indigenous technology, which was supported by ICMR, has reached." Truenat is made by Molbio Diagnostics.
Develop health technologies that are user friendly and deployable for most in need
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