How TB screening of Mozambique’s Mine Workers helps Africa as a whole

Mozambique has a population of more than 32 million. In 2021, 116000 people were estimated to have developed TB. Additionally, more than 18,000 people with TB are estimated to be missing, of which nearly 6500 are children.

TB is a major concern in the mining industry of South Africa. Most of South Africa’s mine workers come from Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho. Due to silica dust, poor living conditions and high HIV prevalence within the community, they are at a higher risk of getting exposed to TB. To reduce TB risk among these mobile workers, the Occupational Health Centre opened in the border city of Ressano Garcia in Mozambique in 2019.

In 2019, Mozago Construction and Trionica Mozambique chose us to distribute radiology solutions in the centre. We provided an EasyDR, multi-functional digital X-ray machine with CAD4TB. The X-ray system will facilitate the screening of TB and silicosis. These other tests will be free-of-charge for all the migrating mine workers.

Additionally, several solar panels were installed on the roof of the centre. This way, the EasyDR X-ray system installed in the centre can be charged with a sustainable source of electricity: the power of the sun.

In May 2019, the local staff received technical training from our colleagues at Universal Delft. The project was officially launched in August 2019 by the Minister of Health. We expect this project to impact the current TB challenges in the mining community significantly.

In 2022, with the Global Fund‘s C19RM funds, the Ministry of Health procured 54 Delft Lights through PFSCM. Each Delft Light kits is outfitted with CAD4TB alongside the CAD4TBbox, to ensure an offline access to the CAD4TB software. This makes it possible to use the software regardless of the internet availability.

In collaboration with our local partners, we provided training and installation at all sites to ensure an effective roll-out and uptake of the Delft Light and the CAD4TB software.