The National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) in partnership with Kampala International University (KIU) and other collaborators from Norway, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), today on 20th August, 2024 has launched the OPTIC-TB project to revolutionize management of childhood Tb in sub-Saharan Africa.
The project is a significant new initiative, aimed at combating Tb among children under 10 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa, a region that carries a substantial burden of the disease.
Tb is a leading cause of death in children across the region, with over 200,000 fatalities each year, despite the disease being both preventable and treatable. One of the major obstacles to controlling Tb in children is the difficulty in accurate diagnosis of the disease particularly in resource-limited settings where diagnostic tools are scarce.
Speaking at the launching ceremony held today at White Sands hotel in Dar es Salaam on behalf of NIMR Director General Prof. Said Aboud, the Director of Research Information and Regulatory Affairs Dr. Mary Mayige has assured the consortium that NIMR is committed to the success of OPTIC-Tb, and that the project is a cornerstone of our broader efforts to combat Tb.
“Our involvement is rooted in a belief that through strategic collaboration and rigorous research, we can overcome the barriers that have historically impeded progress in Tb control. The success of OPTIC-Tb is crucial not only for the children in our countries but also for the future of Tb management in Africa as a whole” Dr. Mayige elaborated.
She expressed the institute’s dedication in providing the resources, expertise, and support necessary to ensure that this project achieves its objectives. The vision of OPTIC-Tb aligns perfectly with our mission at NIMR to improve health outcomes through innovative research and the implementation of evidence-based interventions.
Guest of Honour, Dar es Salaam Region Medical Officer who was represented by Dr. Gunene Kamba, member of regional health management team at Dar es Salaam, said the project findings will facilitate the proper diagnosis and treatment of Tb among children hence reducing the bidden of diseases of sub-Saharan countries.
Dr. Gunene Kamba, member of regional health management team who launched the project on behalf of the Dar es Salaam Region Medical Officer, stated that the project findings will significantly enhance the diagnosis and treatment of Tb among children, this advancement is expected to substantially reduce the disease burden in sub-Saharan countries.
The Principal Investigator of the project, Prof. Sayoki Mfinanga noted that the OPTIC-Tb project, which stands for “Optimizing the Implementation and Scale-Up of WHO Treatment-Decision Algorithms for Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Children,” is set to implement and scale up WHO-recommended Treatment Decision Algorithms (TDAs) in Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Prof. Mfinanga added that, this four-year project will involve 120 health facilities across the three countries. Facilities will be randomized to either implement the new TDAs or continue with standard care, providing a robust comparison to evaluate the effectiveness of the new approach.
“The project is expected to increase Tb case detection rates, reduce treatment delays, improve overall treatment outcomes among children and build capacity within local healthcare systems. It will further reduce the burden of TB among children, improve survival rates, and inform policy changes that will lead to better TB management practices across sub-Saharan Africa. The success of this project could pave the way for similar efforts in other regions, contributing to global efforts to eradicate TB” Said Prof. Mfinanga.
The OPTIC Tb project is led by a consortium of top academic and research institutions, including the University of Bergen, NIMR in Tanzania, Kampala International University in Tanzania, Makerere University in Uganda, Catholic University of Bukavu in DRC and Kampala International University in Uganda. It is sponsored by global health organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP)