Kenya has unveiled a new frontier in the fight against tuberculosis (TB) with the introduction of AI-powered chest X-rays, a tool expected to transform how the disease is diagnosed and managed.
The innovation was presented during an advocacy workshop in Nakuru convened by a coalition of organisations led by the Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (KELIN) under the COMBAT DR-TB project, supported by Unitaid.
AI-driven chest X-rays apply deep learning technology to examine digital images of the lungs, identifying potential problems such as TB, pneumonia, lung nodules and fractures.
Once an image is taken, the system processes it within seconds, highlighting abnormal areas with heatmaps and producing probability scores to guide radiologists.
This reduces delays in diagnosis, helps prioritise urgent cases and increases accuracy—particularly in settings with limited resources or high patient loads.
Stakeholders at the Nakuru forum, including government officials, civil society groups, TB champions and community networks, reviewed the progress made in responding to drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) and outlined steps to strengthen the response nationwide.
Experts welcomed the new diagnostic tool, saying it will speed up TB detection and improve treatment outcomes, potentially saving more lives.
The Kenya National TB Programme confirmed that training sessions for county health workers on the new technology are already underway, with a nationwide rollout expected later this month.
Officials described the AI-powered X-rays as a breakthrough for underserved and remote areas where access to specialised care remains limited.
A briefing by KELIN noted that Kenya has already placed GeneXpert machines across all counties and now has 20 GeneXpert XDR machines that can detect more complex resistance patterns beyond multidrug-resistant TB and rifampicin resistance.
This, stakeholders said, marks a key milestone in tailoring treatment to the specific needs of patients.
The push to curb DR-TB is part of Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage agenda, supported by community health systems aimed at reaching marginalised groups.
While the AI innovation raises hope for faster and more accurate detection, stakeholders acknowledged that major challenges still need to be overcome in the country’s TB response.
