A groundbreaking research dissemination meeting on the Re-Imagining TB Care (RTC) in Uganda study was recently held at Hotel Africana, bringing together researchers, health professionals, policymakers, and partners to reflect on innovative approaches to tuberculosis (TB) care delivery in Uganda.
The dissemination highlighted findings from a substudy under the RE-Imagining TB Care in Uganda initiative, led through collaboration between Makerere University, WALIMU, and the Uganda Ministry of Health. The study focused on transforming TB service delivery using people-centered and digital approaches to improve access, case detection, treatment follow-up, and patient outcomes.
Reimagining TB Care Through Innovation
Uganda continues to face a significant TB burden, with approximately 99,000 TB cases annually and nearly 10,000 missed cases each year. Researchers emphasized the urgent need to move away from traditional facility-based models toward more community-centered and technology-enabled systems.
The RTC study adopted a two-phase approach:
- Phase One: People-Centered Design and co-creation with communities, healthcare workers, and national stakeholders.
- Phase Two: A pragmatic cluster randomized clinical trial evaluating digital and AI-supported interventions against the standard paper-based approach.
Through extensive consultations involving key informant interviews and focus group discussions, the study generated over 2,000 insights that informed the development of digital innovations aimed at strengthening TB care delivery.
Digital and AI Tools Supporting Community Health Workers
One of the key highlights of the dissemination was the successful testing of digital systems and AI-enabled tools to support community health workers (CHWs) in identifying and managing TB cases within communities.
The intervention introduced:
- Electronic Community Health Information Systems (eCHIS)
- AI chatbot support tools
- Barcode specimen tracking systems
- WhatsApp-based coordination and follow-up mechanisms
Speaking during the dissemination, Dr. Achilles Katamba noted that improved access to information enabled the piloting of AI chatbot systems that empowered community health workers to address local health challenges more effectively.
The digital approach significantly improved presumptive TB detection, achieving an eight-fold increase compared to the standard paper-based system. Researchers attributed this to broader risk-factor screening, improved data completeness, and more consistent community-level follow-up.
Strengthening Patient-Centered TB Services
The study further demonstrated how digital systems improved:
- Result tracking and turnaround time
- Treatment adherence monitoring
- Patient follow-up and linkage to care
- Coordination between health workers and communities
Community health workers reported increased confidence and consistency while using the digital systems, while patients benefited from earlier diagnosis and improved access to care.
Researchers also acknowledged existing challenges, including digital literacy gaps, internet connectivity limitations, and integration challenges between health information systems. However, the findings provide strong evidence for scaling digital innovations within Uganda’s national TB response framework.
A Vision for the Future of TB Care
The dissemination concluded with a call for greater investment in integrated digital health systems, stronger AI-enabled community support tools, and enhanced interoperability with national health platforms.
The RTC study ultimately demonstrated that transforming TB care requires redesigning systems around people, communities, and accessible digital solutions. By combining technology, community engagement, and co-creation, Uganda is taking important steps toward reducing missed TB cases and strengthening healthcare delivery nationwide.