Molbio Diagnostics’ Truenat System revolutionizes TB diagnosis in Nigeria

New Delhi: A recently published study in Public Health Action (Vol 14 No 3) has revealed the transformative impact of the Truenat system on tuberculosis (TB) and drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) diagnosis in Nigeria, a country grappling with one of the highest TB burdens in the world. 

Developed by the Indian company Molbio Diagnostics, the Truenat system, has been endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The technology’s rapid diagnostic capabilities have reduced the time it takes to detect TB, improved overall case detection, and accelerated the commencement of treatment, a vital factor in breaking the transmission chain of the disease within communities.

Sriram Natarajan, CEO of Molbio Diagnostics, emphasized, “With Truenat as a multi-disease, last-mile solution, we want to play a crucial role in addressing diagnostics gaps in infectious diseases and improving public health outcomes, especially in resource-scarce settings of lower-middle-income countries.”

The study compared the situation before and after Truenat’s implementation across 34 healthcare facilities where the system was deployed. The results are promising, demonstrating how the Truenat system is revolutionizing TB management in resource-limited settings.

The most notable improvement was the dramatic reduction in the time required for TB diagnosis. The Truenat system, which can deliver results in under 60 minutes, has significantly shortened the diagnostic turnaround time. Over half of the cases in the study were diagnosed within 24 hours, allowing healthcare workers to initiate treatment promptly and limit the disease’s spread. Previously, delays in diagnosis often resulted in prolonged periods before patients could begin treatment, further exacerbating the public health burden.

In addition to faster diagnosis, the study found that treatment initiation times have also improved drastically. On average, patients began treatment within just 1.5 days of receiving their diagnosis, compared to much longer delays previously seen. Over 57% of patients started treatment within 24 hours, while another 26% began within 72 hours. This swift response is crucial in halting the transmission of TB, particularly in densely populated or remote communities where the disease can spread rapidly.

The introduction of Truenat also led to a substantial increase in the detection rate of TB cases. The number of positive TB cases rose significantly following the system’s rollout, identifying 1,704 additional cases in just nine months. This increase demonstrates the system’s ability to uncover cases that were previously undiagnosed, thereby improving overall case management and patient outcomes.

Moreover, the study highlighted Truenat’s effectiveness in identifying drug-resistant TB cases, an area of increasing concern in global health. The detection of rifampicin-resistant TB (DR-TB) cases rose sharply, with the number of identified cases increasing more than fourfold. This breakthrough is critical for addressing one of the most difficult aspects of the TB crisis—managing and treating strains of the disease that do not respond to conventional treatments.

Nigeria’s battle with TB is part of a larger global health crisis, as the country is one of the ten nations responsible for 75% of the world’s undiagnosed TB cases and 70% of missing DR-TB cases. The lack of access to rapid molecular testing in rural and remote areas has been a persistent obstacle in Nigeria’s efforts to control the spread of the disease. 

In response, the Stop TB Partnership, in collaboration with USAID, introduced the Truenat system to Nigeria through the Introducing New Tools Project (iNTP). This project aims to introduce cutting-edge diagnostics, treatments, and digital health innovations to bolster TB care in high-burden countries.