First Lady Dedicates four AI X-ray machines for TB diagnosis

(March 26, 2024, Monrovia) Liberia’s strides to eradicate the killer disease Tuberculosis through early prevention, diagnosis, and cure were recently boosted by the donation of four cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) X-ray machines.

First Lady Kartumu Yarta Boakai dedicated the state-of-the-art equipment Monday during the World TB Day commemoration. She said the equipment marked a significant step forward in the national drive to relegate TB to the history books.

“Validated by the World Health Organization, WHO, these are not just tools but elements of progress, innovation, and hope,” Mrs. Boakai asserted. They serve as a platform for TB screening programs and case management, producing TB reports in less than 15 seconds.”

The modern machines, the first of their kind in the country, have been strategically distributed among four major hospitals, including TB Annex, JFK Medical Center, Redemption Hospital, and C. H. Rennie Hospital in Montserrado and Margibi Counties.

First Lady Boakai, who delivered the keynote message for the day, believes the high-tech equipment is poised to advance the fight against TB.

She thanked the Global Fund, along with partners and stakeholders, for supporting the Ministry of Health in improving the overall health condition of the Liberian people.

Health Minister Dr. Lousie Kpoto and representatives from the World Health Organization, USAID, Partners in Health, Plan International, JFK Hospital, and the Liberian Senate Health Committee, among others, joined the First Lady in commissioning the machines.

The TB disease is said to be serious in Liberia as the country is among less-developed nations with a huge number of cases. However, the country has recorded tremendous success, especially in treating the disease. The 2023 Demographic and Health Indicator Survey puts Liberia’s TB treatment success rate at about 76.6 percent.

In her keynote address, First Lady Boakai acknowledged the progress but challenged everyone to do more as she committed her office to supporting the fight against TB nationwide.