According to World Health Organization surveillance data cited in a new Global Health Action scoping review, 71% of tuberculosis contacts in high-burden countries remain undiagnosed or untreated due to limited contact investigation capacity. This staggering gap represents a critical public health challenge in low- and middle-income settings where healthcare infrastructure and laboratory resources are severely constrained.
mHealth-supported community worker programmes are emerging as a practical solution to bridge this divide. Digital contact tracing tools enable systematic identification and monitoring of TB-exposed individuals without requiring centralized facilities, reducing diagnostic delays and improving preventive therapy completion rates among household contacts.
The findings underscore the urgent need for investment in digital health infrastructure to expand TB control efforts in resource-limited regions. Read the full article on GMJ Newsroom.
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