Recognition Highlights: REACH Ethiopia received special recognition from the Central Ethiopia Regional Health Bureau during the 2018 EFY TB Program Review Meeting for exceptional project implementation in the Gurage and East Gurage zones.
Through the Urban TB LON II Project supported by the U.S. Government – Foreign Assistance Division, REACH Ethiopia drove large-scale screenings reaching over 221,000 individuals. This impact was powered by advanced AI-enabled portable X-ray technology for vulnerable populations, alongside clinical milestones such as near-perfect child TPT coverage and high treatment success rates.
Central Ethiopia Region TB Program Review (2018 EFY)
Led by the Vice Head of the RHB, the review meeting brought together Zonal Health Department Heads, DPHP directorates, TB focal persons, EPSS, EPSE, and key management stakeholders to evaluate regional performance, address implementation gaps, and map out priority actions.
Key Achievements in Gurage & East Gurage Zones
- Mass TB Screening: Screened 221,589 people (Oct 2025–Jun 2026), identifying 10,318 presumptive cases and 377 confirmed TB cases (NNS: 588).
- AI-Powered X-Ray Screening: Reached 11,332 individuals, identifying 1,661 presumptive cases and 107 TB cases (NNS: 106).
- Child TPT Coverage (<15 years): Achieved 98% in Gurage and 100% in East Gurage.
- Treatment Success & HIV Testing: Treatment success reached 100% in East Gurage and 92.1% in Gurage, with HIV testing exceeding 98% in both zones.
- Contact Screening: Reached 99% of adults and nearly 100% of children under 15 in both zones.
- Advanced Diagnostics: Initial GeneXpert testing performance surpassed targets at 84% (East Gurage) and 83% (Gurage).
- Community Contribution: Community-driven TB contributions stood at 35% in Gurage and 30% in East Gurage.
Priority Areas for Moving Forward
To build on these successes, the review meeting outlined critical focus areas for the upcoming period:
- Strengthening community-level TB care and active case-finding to minimize missed cases.
- Maximizing GeneXpert utilization and expanding AI-assisted portable X-ray screening among Key Vulnerable Populations (KVPs).
- Enhancing planning, monitoring, and stakeholder engagement across high-load health facilities.
- Improving data quality, sample transportation logistics, and addressing supply gaps for TPT drugs and lab cartridges.
- Strengthening TB death audits and resolving logistical challenges such as motorcycle delivery delays and tailored support for special woredas.