COVID-19 is Disrupting TB Diagnosis 

The pandemic has undermined progress made in tuberculosis in the last decade in part because access to timely diagnosis of has been displaced by the diversion of resources to COVID-19. That’s in large part because diagnostic technology—and the lab networks in which they operate—is largely siloed, with technology designated for specific disease programs.

Testing for different diseases often operates under separate rules and safety standards, requiring separate staff and transport requirements. What’s the best approach to using both existing and new technologies to address the COVID-19 pandemic and coexisting major public health challenges-without jeopardizing the gains in diagnostic access for TB, HIV, and other diseases?