After the successful domestic rollout of Goa-based Molbio Diagnostics' Truenat MTB by the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme, a multi-country rollout has been initiated by the “introducing New Tools Project (iNTP)”, a collaboration between the Stop TB Partnership, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in nine high TB burden countries in Asia and Africa. 

The roll-out package enables uptake of WHO-endorsed innovation in diagnostics, treatment and digital health technologies to strengthen TB care in high-burden countries. The New Tools Project aims to improve access to rapid molecular testing through the introduction of Truenat as the initial diagnostic test in peripheral health facilities as a replacement for sputum smear microscopy as mandated by WHO. 

The countries covered in the first phase are Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines. Truenat Installations are completed in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Cambodia, DR Congo, Philippines, Uganda and Kenya while it's underway in Bangladesh and Vietnam.

Molbio Diagnostics' Truenat is a point-of-care platform endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for rapid molecular detection of Tuberculosis and Rifampicin resistance. Truenat is a portable, battery-operated, IoT-enabled, point-of-care Real-Time PCR platform with a turn-around time of less than 1 hour that can be deployed even in resource-limited settings and remote areas. In addition to TB, the Truenat platform can test for over 35 other diseases.