Maharashtra to install 300 advanced machines for faster TB diagnosis
The ₹41.92-crore project aims to provide rapid testing for tuberculosis and drug-resistant cases across rural and district-level health facilities.
Maharashtra will install 300 advanced Truenat Quattro machines across the state to accelerate tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis, according to the Hindustan Times on Wednesday. The project, valued at ₹41.92 crore, will be implemented over 21 months under the National TB Elimination Programme.
The machines will be placed in district-level facilities, rural hospitals, and primary health centres. A tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the BPCL Foundation, the implementing agency HITES-HLL Infra Tech Services Ltd, and the joint director of health services (TB and leprosy).
The portable, battery-operated machines are approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and can identify TB and rifampicin-resistant TB in approximately one hour. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that this move would bring modern diagnostic tools to distant locations.
The initiative is expected to facilitate 9.36 lakh tests every year. This could help identify an estimated 1.12 lakh TB patients and 4,680 patients with rifampicin-resistant TB annually. Health workers will undergo specialised training, and machine performance will be monitored digitally via the Nikshay platform.
Public health minister Prakash Abitkar said that seeking corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding helped secure partners like the BPCL Foundation. Abitkar said the machines would allow for quicker testing in remote villages and expressed confidence that government and industry cooperation would help reach the goal of a TB-free Maharashtra.