Regional hospitals attain full mobile TB clinics

15 December 2025, 3:01 pm

Byamukama Alozious

Uganda has expanded access to tuberculosis (TB) services with the launch of 11 new mobile TB clinic trucks, bringing the total number of mobile units to 16 and ensuring full coverage across the country’s 16 regional referral hospitals.

The clinics, supported by the Global Fund, were officially received by the Ministry of Health in Kampala and flagged off by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Diana Atwine, as part of government efforts to improve early detection, diagnosis and treatment of TB, particularly in hard-to-reach and high-risk communities.

Dr. Stavia Turyahabwe, the Commissioner for TB and Leprosy Prevention, said the mobile clinics are equipped with digital laboratory systems and will be deployed to red-flag areas, including remote regions where people often delay seeking TB services.

She said the clinics will operate directly within communities to screen, test and support treatment for tuberculosis and leprosy, reducing distance, cost and stigma barriers that limit access to care.

Uganda remains among the high TB burden countries globally, with infections concentrated in urban slums, prisons and overcrowded settlements. According to health officials, an estimated 250 people fall ill with TB every day in Uganda, while at least 30 people die daily to TB which is preventable and curable.

Dr. Atwine said expanding mobile TB services is critical to closing detection gaps, noting that while about 91 percent of patients who complete TB treatment are cured, nearly nine percent either die or abandon treatment.

Dr.Daniel Kyabayinze, Director of Public Health at the Ministry of Health, called on leaders at all levels to mobilize communities to utilize the mobile clinics and government health facilities for early TB testing and timely treatment.

Meanwhile, Uganda’s TB response has received an additional boost with the commissioning of 14 ultra-portable, AI-powered MinXray digital X-ray units donated by the United States government.

With this support, Uganda’s total number of mobile digital X-ray and computer-aided diagnosis platforms has risen to 95, extending coverage to more than half of all districts and enabling TB screening for up to 140,000 more people annually.

The X-ray systems, equipped with artificial intelligence software, are capable of detecting TB and more than 20 other lung conditions, significantly reducing delays in diagnosis, especially in resource-limited settings. The units will be deployed in the Kampala metropolitan area, Karamoja, West Nile, Greater Masaka and other mapped TB hotspots.

The United States Ambassador to Uganda, William Popp, said the intervention reflects continued U.S. commitment to strengthening Uganda’s health system and supporting the global goal of ending TB by 2030.

Earlier this year, the U.S. government provided 48 additional digital X-ray units to the Ministry of Health, increasing the total at the time to 65. These machines have already screened more than 150,000 people and identified over 4,600 TB cases, all linked to timely treatment.

In addition to the X-ray units, the U.S. government has provided 33 solar power backup systems to support TB-LAMP machines, enabling community-based testing of over 1,300 sputum samples per day and the diagnosis of dozens of TB cases during integrated outreach activities.

‘’ we are so happy to American people for this support’’ Dr.Diana Atwine told the told Ambassador Popp.  She added the x-rays will tests provide accurate and timely data for which will quicken the response

Health workers including radiographers, clinicians and data assistants have received hands-on training to ensure effective use, maintenance and secure handling of patient data in line with national data protection guidelines.

Officials said the combined deployment of mobile TB clinics and advanced diagnostic technology represents a major step toward reducing TB transmission, preventing deaths and strengthening Uganda’s health security.