Kiribati reported an estimated 710 TB cases in 2023, a 37% increase from 2022. The number of missing people with TB rose by nearly 38%, while TB-related deaths reached 49. As a remote island nation in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania, Kiribati faces unique challenges in access to healthcare.
In 2021, the University of Sydney, in collaboration with local partners, deployed a Delft Light with CAD4TB.
Making a difference
Research paper
In 2022, a study was published called the ‘population-wide active case finding and prevention for tuberculosis and leprosy elimination in Kiribati: the PEARL study protocol’. The study utilised the CAD4TB artificial intelligence software and found that strengthened laboratory and radiology capacity will benefit the health system overall (including expanded utilisation of digital X-ray systems with CAD software).
Webinar insights
During 2022 Delft Imaging webinar “The New tools for TB detection”, Dr. Jeremy Hill, Medical Lead – PEARL porject, Research Officer – Centenary Institute, introduced the Pearl Study in Kiribati, a population-wide active case-finding initiative targeting TB and leprosy. The project aims to screen 65,000 people in South Tarawa using community-based interventions that combine symptom screening, GeneXpert Ultra, and digital X-ray with CAD via Delft Light backpacks. “We saw an opportunity in the advances in digital X-ray to reach affected communities right where the highest transmission is occurring,” Dr. Hill explained. The study integrates AI-powered imaging with robust referral and treatment systems, marking a major step toward reducing TB incidence in a high-burden island setting.
