Ethiopia had a total population of approximately 115 million people in 2020. In that year, 151,000 estimated people developed TB. Among them, 17,000 were children. Moreover, there were 42,807 missing people with TB (of which 6,161 were children).
In 2019, Delft Imaging delivered four mobile tuberculosis screening clinics (fitted with the EasyDR X-ray system) OneStopTB clinics, to the Ministry of Health in Ethiopia. Each mobile TB clinic came with the CAD4TB solution – a software solution to detect TB-related abnormalities on chest X-rays automatically.
In 2023, we supplied 30 mobile X-ray systems, the MAC X-ray system, and the CAD4TB artificial intelligence software to the Ministry of Health of Ethiopia. The project included centralised training sessions across different provinces and came with the necessary maintenance services.
For more information on how the OneStopTB mobile clinics and the CAD4TB artificial intelligence software have been used in Ethiopia, please view the story of ‘The Introduction of CAD4TB in Ethiopian NTLP’, as presented by Dr Daniel Gemechu, Regional Director of MSH in Ethiopia. The story was presented during the Delft Q3 webinar of 2022.
Making a Difference
A 2023 study on the accuracy of CAD4TB in Ethiopia highlights CAD4TB’s potential in high-burden settings for its efficiency and cost-effectiveness, processing up to 132 images per day at less than $6 per person. CAD4TB V.7, specifically, is noted for its high effectiveness in settings with high TB burden. Evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of the CAD4TB software compared to the Xpert MTB/RIF test in detecting tuberculosis, the study attested that CAD4TB’s sensitivity ranges from 90% to 92%, while its specificity varies between 23% to 66%.
In 2024, the Stop TB Partnership’s Board Report elaborated on the impact of our solutions, particularly on how optimising CAD4TB’s connectivity strengthens healthcare infrastructure in the country. “Connectivity – Diagnostics connectivity solutions were introduced and strengthened using a variety Ethiopia’s network of GeneXperts is now connected to the LabXpert software. Stop TB supported the adoption of LabXpert under the USAID-funded introducing New Tools Project (iNTP). Use of 99DOTS in Bangladesh (source: icddr,b) of technologies in five countries, including MedX LabXpert, SystemOne Aspect and a domestically developed solution Tibulims. Dashboards connected data from GeneXpert, Truenat and CAD4TB systems, allowing for real-time nationwide monitoring of instrument performance and rapid transfer of results, and facilitating earlier treatment of people with TB and DR-TB.
Case Study
Ethiopia’s use of OneStopTB Clinics with EasyDr digital X-ray and CAD4TB has significantly enhanced TB screening, especially in pastoralist communities. This approach demonstrates a marked increase in TB case detection, highlighting the effectiveness of combining AI with traditional screening methods.
Read the full case study “TB Screening in Pastoralist Communities with OneStopTB Mobile Clinic.”
