Faster TB diagnosis will soon be saving lives in Sudan, thanks to the recovery of Truenat diagnostic machines and a new training programme for users provided by UNDP, Sudan’s National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) and molecular diagnostics manufacturer Molbio Diagnostics, with funding from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. 

At the beginning of 2023, UNDP Sudan procured 15 Truenat machines from Molbio Diagnostics to strengthen rapid molecular diagnosis of tuberculosis and drug-resistant TB in hospitals across Sudan. The outbreak of war halted implementation and cut off access to health facilities, but UNDP Sudan is now working closely with national authorities, hospitals and Molbio Diagnostics to recover equipment and train users. 

This includes the procurement and importation of spare parts and TB testing kits, as well as the renewal of the manufacturer’s warranty for all recovered instruments. Eight machines have already been recovered and a hands-on training programme for Sudanese TB laboratory professionals finished today in Port Sudan.

Technical Experts Supporting Capacity Building

The training programme brought together laboratory technicians from hospitals in Al Gedarif, Kassala, River Nile, Sennar, White Nile, North Kordofan, Khartoum and Al Gezira. 

It covered installation and setup of Truenat systems, calibration and quality assurance, troubleshooting and preventive maintenance, molecular TB testing procedures, biosafety requirements, data interpretation and reporting.

Now the teams will start deploying and Truenat platforms for patient testing in their home states.

Why Truenat Matters for Sudan

Sudan sees around 24,000 TB diagnoses a year. Three-quarters of these are made after a physical assessment by a doctor, or by microscope examination of sputum, rather than through more reliable WHO-recommended methods like GeneXpert and Truenat.

For crisis settings like Sudan, where war, displacement and infrastructure limitations restrict access to centralized laboratory services, the Truenat platform has several advantages. It is portable, battery-operated and can be used without sophisticated infrastructure or labs.

Accelerating Early Diagnosis and Treatment

Rapid molecular testing is one of the most effective tools for ending TB transmission and reducing mortality. Early detection allows patients to begin treatment sooner, while identification of drug-resistant strains supports fast treatment with the right multidrug-resistant therapies.

By bringing advanced molecular testing closer to patients, Sudan will be better positioned to identify TB cases early and initiate lifesaving treatment before complications develop or transmission spreads widely within communities.

Supporting Sudan’s National TB Diagnostic Strategy

The Truenat initiative aligns closely with Sudan’s national strategy for the optimization and expansion of molecular TB diagnostics, complementing existing national investments in GeneXpert systems, Line Probe Assay laboratories and emerging TB point-of-care diagnostic technologies. Together, these platforms form an integrated diagnostic network in line with WHO recommendations for universal access to rapid molecular testing as the initial diagnostic approach for people with presumptive TB. 

UNDP Sudan remains committed to working closely with the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Tuberculosis Programme, state health authorities, implementing hospitals and Molbio Diagnostics to trace and recover the remaining Truenat machines and to deploy additional machines to strengthen TB services across the country.

The training in Port Sudan demonstrates the resilience of Sudan’s health workforce and the commitment of national and international partners to ensuring that every person suspected of having tuberculosis can access high-quality molecular diagnosis and prompt treatment.

With this programme, Sudan is taking an important step toward the elimination of tuberculosis and drug-resistant TB as major public health threats.