In a bid to control the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in Thailand, the Ministry of Public Health has said it is now working to offer better testing kits that provide a faster and more accurate diagnosis, resulting in more efficient treatment.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Department of Medical Sciences (DMSc) and AEC Healthcare on the transfer of DMSc-TB FastAmp (TB-LAMP) kit production technology with the goal of supporting tuberculosis control. The MoU was signed by AEC Healthcare’s Managing Director Nonthasak Prayoonthian and DMSc Director-General Dr. Supakit Sirilak.
The TB-LAMP kit can detect bacteria that trigger tuberculosis by examining samples using the loop-mediated isothermal amplification method. Customers could receive their results in two hours without the need for any further equipment. This will allow people throughout the country to receive a faster, more accurate, and more affordable diagnosis.
According to data collected by the Department of Disease Control, at least 150 new cases of tuberculosis are found per 100,000 people each year in Thailand. This means that more than 105,000 new cases are discovered in the country every year. (NNT)
