13/10/2025
🇰🇪 Kenya Takes a Bold Step Towards Ending TB and Advancing Lung Health! 🚀
Today, we mark a historic milestone in Kenya’s fight against tuberculosis (TB) and other lung diseases. The Ministry of Health, together with partners and county governments, has officially flagged off 80 ultra-portable, AI-enabled digital chest X-ray machines and launched the Integrated TB and Lung Health Management Guidelines.
This is not just a technological upgrade, it is a game changing shift in how we approach lung health to achieve health equity, early detection, and community-driven healthcare across all 47 counties.
🗣️ Key Highlights from Leaders and Partners:
“We are taking two bold steps: launching AI-enabled digital X-rays and integrating TB and lung health services. In 2024 alone, we recorded over 94,000 drug-sensitive TB cases. Lung health has been in the shadows for too long. This launch is a declaration of a people-centered, future-looking health system. Technology must reach the grassroots. Kenya is not just keeping up—we are leading globally.” CS Health, Hon. Aden Duale
“TB is as old as humanity, and its link to poverty and marginalization is well documented. This initiative helps bridge that gap. By deploying these digital X-ray machines and guidelines, we now have a uniform, standardized way of identifying and managing TB and other lung conditions. Community systems are the bedrock of our services, let us continue to de-stigmatize TB and bring healthcare closer to the people.” Dr. Patrick Amoth – Director General, Ministry of Health
“Thank you to all our partners, especially the Global Fund, for making this launch possible. Community health promoters have played a critical role in ensuring that services reach the grassroots. As we introduce this equipment, we must ensure communities are well-briefed and fully engaged to ensure acceptance and uptake. The community must be at the center of every health decision.” Philip Nyakwana – Community Representative
“Kenya is among the global pioneers in embracing innovations like AI-enabled X-rays. Our goal is to go beyond TB and address a wide range of lung diseases. Over the next three years, we will invest over KSh 1 billion to scale up this initiative. These guidelines will anchor both our current progress and future expansion.” Gerald Machariah – CHAI Manager
“At CHS, we are proud to have been part of this journey since 2021. In just one year, we screened over 50,000 people and diagnosed over 2,000 TB cases using these digital machines. Today’s launch marks another step in transforming healthcare access for all.” Dr. Paul Wekesa – CEO, CHS
“We are proud to support this initiative through the Global Health Grant. It brings life-saving technology to the people who need it most.” Dr. George Githuka – AMREF
“WHO remains committed to strengthening local capacity, working with counties and Parliament. We must focus on three priorities: close the TB detection gap using AI, protect people from financial hardship, and learn from other countries’ experiences. Kenya is proving its commitment to ending TB, we will measure success by lives saved and families supported.” Dr. Onyenze Adiele – WHO Representative
“TB remains a major burden in our counties. This technology will help us reach the last mile detecting Lung health illness early and ensuring evidence based treatment. Counties will continue to use data to improve services and save lives.” Ms. Katra Ali – Council of Governors
“Prevention is always better and cheaper than cure. Early detection of TB, lung cancer, and other respiratory diseases is now within reach. This is a major leap toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and we are headed in the right direction.” Dr. James Nyikal – Chair, Parliamentary Health Committee
Let us continue walking together towards a healthier, stronger, and more resilient Kenya.
