New Milestone for RADIO TB: Bulawayo Site Visit

Tuberculosis remains a major global health challenge, with over 10 million people developing the disease each year and persistent gaps in early detection.

RADIO TB aims to tackle that. Their multi-country research focuses on patients whose chest X-rays and symptoms are suggestive of TB but their initial smear tests do not have TB bacteria, by creating a 4 month treatment process. This addresses a significant gap in current TB management in how best to support individuals with abnormal CXR results in real-world screening contexts, and how to actively prevent the progression of TB into a transmissible disease.

In settings where chest X-ray screening is increasingly used alongside digital and AI-supported tools, this question is becoming even more important for public health programmes and clinical decision-making.

Recently, RADIO TB reached an important milestone with a successful completion of a site initiation visit in Bulawayo ahead of the commencement of participant enrolment.

This initial site visit in Bulawayo lays the groundwork for:

1. Safe and efficient participant enrolment

2. Strong collaboration with local health services

3. Training and preparation of healthcare teams involved in study delivery

4. Strengthening pathways between screening, diagnosis, and care

The RADIO TB team appreciates UCL Innovative Clinical Trials Unit for leading a highly effective initiation visit, and to the Bulawayo City Health team for their strong engagement and collaboration with the project.