The Tropical Disease Foundation (TDF), in collaboration with Family Health International 360 (FHI360) under a grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), successfully implemented an Active Case Finding (ACF) project entitled, “Provision of Primary Health Care Services including Tuberculosis (TB) Screening and Promotion of Health Habits in Urban Poor Communities in Quezon and Caloocan Cities, Metro Manila,” With support from the Department of Health (DOH) Metro Manila Center for Health and Development (MMCHD), and the Quezon City and Caloocan City Local Governments through their respective City Health Departments, a total of 20,042 patients were screened for TB from August 7 to October 20, 2023. There were four (4) barangay communities which participated in Quezon City (Payatas, Pasong Tamo, Batasan and Gulod), and three (3) barangays in Caloocan City (Bagong Silang, Bagumbong and Camarin).

In partnership with RADISEN for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in chest x-ray, patients were screened utilizing computer aided diagnostics (CAD) with portable x-rays in mobile vans together with remote assessments of chest x-ray images by (3) Radiologist assigned to each van. Designed to be a “one –stop-shop” strategy, participants with positive findings suggestive of TB identified either by artificial intelligence (AI) technology, or by the Radiologist were subjected immediately to on-site sputum collection with the samples promptly submitted to the local health center laboratories for sputum gene expert testing.

The deployment of the TDF Mobile One-Stop-Shop for TB screening proved adaptable to the local situation and condition. This innovative and impactful approach to TB mass screening was successful together with effective community engagement, LGU collaboration, the use of CAD, and the digital platform that enabled remote assessment of radiologic images.