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A new policy from the World Health Organization (WHO) represents an important step forward in tuberculosis (TB) testing. Experts suggest that this near-point-of-care molecular test can be implemented at the primary care level and at a lower cost.
Professor Madhukar Pai, Inaugural Chair, Department of Global and Public Health, McGill School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, emphasized the importance of the new WHO policy for TB.
For the first time, they have approved a near-point-of-care molecular test that can be used at the primary care level and with a tongue swab, since many people are unable to produce sputum, marking a major advance in TB testing. Near-point-of-care molecular tests can now reach the level of primary care and are far more affordable than any existing molecular test. In addition, tongue swabs come in very handy when people are not able to spontaneously produce sputum samples,” Prof. Pai told The Indian Express.
Former TB officers with the Central TB Division, Government of India, said that these tests would be very helpful and come at a lesser cost. “It may take a few years, but there is huge potential for scaling up of the tests,” the officer said.
