In 2020, Kiribati had a population of approximately 120,000 people. There were an estimated 510 people who developed TB. Among them, 99 were children. Moreover, there were 125 missing people with TB (of which 24 were children).
The Kiribati Islands, officially the Republic of Kiribati, is a remote island in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania. As a remote island, it required a portable X-ray solution and AI software to support the effective screening and triage of TB.
In 2021, the University of Sydney, working with partners based in Kiribati, procured the Delft Light portable backpack X-ray system and the CAD4TB software. The project included training, warranty and transport services.
For more information on how the Delft Light portable X-ray and CAD4TB solutions have been used in Kiribati, please view the story of ‘The Road to Go-Planning Digital CXR and CAD for TB Active Case Finding in Kiribati’, as presented by Dr Jeremy Hill. The story was presented during the Delft Q2 webinar of 2022.
Making a difference
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).
