What it is
Molbio Truenat, with MTB-Plus and RIF-Dx assays, is a portable, battery-powered molecular diagnostic tool for tuberculosis (TB) testing directly in primary health care settings. Endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) [1], it delivers rapid and reliable results for adults with pulmonary TB symptoms, making advanced diagnosis possible even in the most remote and low-resource settings.
Why it matters
Tuberculosis is the world’s deadliest infectious disease, with around 10 million people falling ill every year [2]. Early and accurate diagnosis is essential to interrupt transmission and prevent significant health problems. With point-of-care molecular testing, patients can receive results and begin treatment on the same day, turning what used to take weeks into hours.
The story
In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, getting tested for TB can be a long and difficult journey. Diagnostic laboratories are often located only in major cities, meaning patients in rural areas must travel far, wait days or even weeks for results, and risk being lost to follow-up. Even where advanced tools such as GeneXpert are available, they require stable electricity, climate control, and maintenance, conditions rarely met in small health centres. [3]
To help address this gap, EDCTP funding supported the TB-CAPT CORE study [4], which tested the implementation of the portable Molbio Truenat platform with MTB-Plus and MTB/RIF Dx assays in real clinical settings. Designed to operate with unreliable electricity and limited laboratory infrastructure, Truenat MTB assays enable accurate TB diagnosis and drug-resistance detection directly at the point of care.
The impact on patient care was striking. 97% of patients diagnosed using Molbio Truenat began treatment within one week, and more than 80% started treatment the same day, compared with 63% who began treatment within one week and only 3.3% who started the same day under the traditional diagnostic system. [5] Faster and decentralised diagnosis enables earlier treatment, reduces transmission, and helps prevent severe complications and drug-resistant TB.
Molbio Truenat’s portable design makes it resistant to heat and dust, easy to operate, and independent of complex infrastructure. Bringing molecular testing closer to communities enables clinics in resource-limited areas to diagnose TB faster, reducing travel costs and delays for patients. While initial system costs are higher, decentralised testing with Truenat assays appears at least as cost-effective as centralised models and is associated with better diagnostic outcomes. The approach works best in settings with higher TB prevalence, greater testing volumes, and affordable staffing and monitoring costs. [6]
By validating portable molecular testing in real-world African clinics, the EDCTP-funded study demonstrated how innovative diagnostics can close the gap between testing and treatment. With support from EDCTP, this approach provides the evidence needed to expand access to rapid, life-saving TB diagnosis in underserved communities.
Sources:
[1] Rapid Communication: Molecular assays as initial tests for the diagnosis of tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance | WHO
[2] Global Tuberculosis Report 2024 | WHO
[3] Advancing tuberculosis diagnostics to reach more people in the African region | WHO
[4] EDCTP-funded TB-CAPT project
[5] Khosa C, Cossa M, Leukes V et al. Implementing the Molbio Truenat platform and tuberculosis assays versus standard of care at primary care clinics for the detection and treatment of tuberculosis in Mozambique and Tanzania (TB-CAPT CORE): a cluster-randomised trial. The Lancet Primary Care, 2025; 1
[6] Malhotra A, Elísio D, Machiana A, et al. Decentralized TB diagnostic testing with Truenat MTB Plus and MTB-RIF Dx vs. hub-and-spoke GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra in Mozambique and Tanzania: a cost and cost-effectiveness analysis. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2025;5(5):e0004724. Published 2025 May 30.
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Molbio Truenat, with MTB-Plus and RIF-Dx assays, is a portable, battery-powered molecular diagnostic tool for tuberculosis (TB) testing directly in primary health care settings.
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