The Teso sub-region has recorded 467 tuberculosis cases in the past three months, prompting Uganda’s Ministry of Health to deploy a mobile TB clinic to expand community screening and speed up diagnosis and treatment.
The mobile clinic was handed over Tuesday to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital. Tusumisirize Didas, the national coordinator for mobile TB services, said the unit is designed to provide same-day TB screening, diagnosis and immediate initiation of treatment.
The van is equipped with a digital chest X-ray system that displays results instantly, allowing health workers to make rapid clinical decisions, he said. The clinic will also offer HIV, diabetes and hypertension testing, making it a multi-purpose outreach service for hard-to-reach communities.
Ruth Frances Aloket, the TB focal person for the Teso sub-region, said the disease burden remains high, with at least 20 people testing positive for TB out of every 1,000 individuals screened.
She said 467 TB patients were identified across all districts in the sub-region over the past three months, based on data compiled after each testing cycle.
Hospital records from Soroti Regional Referral Hospital show that 476 TB patients were diagnosed between October and December last year alone, translating to about 500 to 600 cases every quarter across the region, according to health officials.
“These numbers show that TB transmission is still ongoing in our communities,” Aloket said.
She said several districts have been identified as TB hotspots, including Serere, particularly its island communities, as well as Kaberamaido, Amuria and Kapelebyong, which borders Karamoja and Lango, areas with high TB burden. Factors driving transmission include high mobility, social interaction and delays in seeking care.
To improve diagnosis, the Ministry of Health has invested in GeneXpert machines at Health Centre IVs, general hospitals and regional referral hospitals. The machines can detect TB more accurately than traditional microscopy, Aloket said.
The ministry has also introduced digital mobile X-ray machines to bring screening closer to communities and reduce delays caused by referrals.
Once a TB case is identified, health workers immediately begin contact tracing, starting with family members. Those with symptoms are tested, while those without symptoms, especially children, are given preventive treatment.
Health experts say patients become far less infectious within two weeks of starting treatment, making early diagnosis and adherence critical to stopping transmission.
TB most commonly affects children under five and young adults aged 20 to 35. People living with HIV account for about 30% of TB patients, due to weakened immunity, health officials say.
To ensure treatment completion, facilities now require every TB patient to identify a treatment supporter before discharge. The supporter monitors medication intake at home and reports to health workers, often working alongside Village Health Teams.
Previous efforts to use technology-based adherence tools, including video-supported treatment and alarm pill boxes, were abandoned due to logistical and monitoring challenges, Aloket said.
Benzy Omoya, principal hospital administrator at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, welcomed the mobile clinic, saying it will strengthen outreach by taking TB screening services to markets and other public gathering places.
He urged local leaders to mobilize communities to fully utilize the services when the clinic is deployed.
Health officials said the mobile clinic is expected to significantly improve early detection and treatment of tuberculosis in the Teso sub-region.
