Artificial intelligence helping healthcare experts find more TB and other diseases in Thai hospitals. By SHOBHA SHUKLA
https://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/opinion-details/4780
Publish Date: 2026-03-21 15:14:00
Source Domain: www.pakistanchristianpost.com
- Thailand is lagging in diagnosing and treating over 22,000 people with tuberculosis, missing nearly 20% of TB cases among an estimated 104,000 patients in 2024.
- Despite commendable progress, including no longer being listed among high-burden countries for drug-resistant TB, Thailand continues to face challenges in high-burden TB and TB-HIV contexts.
- The diagnostic rate for TB in Thailand using molecular tests has reached 69% in 2024, significantly higher than the global average of 54% and above the regional average in South-East Asia.
- AI-powered technology, such as Genki AI lung health screening software, is being used to detect TB and other lung abnormalities more effectively, helping to fill gaps left by traditional diagnostic tools.
- Since its approval by Thailand’s FDA in 2022 and integration into WHO guidelines in 2021, AI tools like Genki are proving to be highly effective, sensitive, and cost-effective, especially in resource-limited settings.
- The importance of AI in triaging individuals and ruling out cases where there is no disease exists to streamline care pathways and prioritize resources for those who need them the most.
- Overall, while there is optimism about employing AI and molecular testing innovations to bridge the gap in TB detection, ongoing efforts are crucial to honor the global pledge to end TB by 2030.
- Prevention, early detection, correct diagnosis, and appropriate treatment remain vital to fulfill human rights commitments and sustainable development goal implications concerning TB.
