A new study by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is exploring how digital tools can enhance tuberculosis (TB) treatment adherence in Ethiopia and Liberia, two of the continent’s most affected countries.
The research, titled Improving TB Treatment Adherence through Mobile-Phone Messaging, is a collaboration funded by a $100,000 World Bank grant.
Running from until December 12, it involves partnerships with the Ministries of Health in both nations, the University of Liberia College of Health Sciences, Dire Dawa University, and the Dire Dawa Health Bureau, with technical coordination from Africa CDC's Science and Innovation Directorate.
The initiative seeks to leverage mobile technology as a practical solution. It aims to improve TB treatment adherence by testing SMS reminders, identifying barriers to digital technology adoption, and evaluating their impact on patient outcomes, according to the health institution.
This comes as the infectious disease remains a major global health challenge. Recent statistics show that an estimated 10.8 million people worldwide were infected in 2023, resulting in over 1.25 million deaths.
Ethiopia and Liberia are among the highest TB-burden countries, with estimated incidence rates of 119 and 308 cases per 100,000 population, respectively.
Despite progress in diagnosis and treatment, adherence to TB medication continues to be one of the weakest links in TB control, leading to treatment failure, relapse, and drug-resistant TB, said the organisation.
The research will be conducted in two phases across the two regions; a quantitative baseline assessment to measure current adherence levels among TB patients, followed by a pilot intervention using SMS-based reminders for patients identified with low adherence.
A total of 844 TB patients (422 in each country) will be enrolled, with about 200 participants receiving SMS reminders. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches will be used to generate insights that inform national TB strategies and continental policy recommendations for digital health integration.
“This research is significant because it provides an opportunity to integrate digital innovation into TB care in Africa, advancing patient-centred solutions that address real-world barriers to treatment adherence.
“By leveraging the widespread use of mobile phones, we can make TB treatment support more accessible, responsive and effective, particularly for vulnerable communities,” said Dr Mosoka Fallah, acting director of science and innovation at Africa CDC.
He added: “Africa CDC continues to prioritise implementation science that directly strengthens public health interventions in Member States. This initiative will not only generate actionable evidence for TB programmes but also contribute to the broader digital health agenda in Africa.”
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