As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen tuberculosis (TB) case detection and management, the UDSM DHIS2 team, in collaboration with key stakeholders, successfully conducted a pilot roll-out of the TAMBUA TB USSD self-screening system in Mbeya and Simiyu regions. This initiative marks a significant step toward leveraging mobile technology to enhance TB screening, case management, and follow-ups at both the district and facility levels.
The pilot roll-out introduced healthcare providers to the TAMBUA TB USSD, an innovative mobile-based tool designed to facilitate self-screening and case tracking. The UDSM DHIS2 team played a critical role in ensuring seamless integration, system optimization, and capacity building for healthcare workers handling TB case management within the eTL system.
Key Areas of Training & Implementation
✅ Orientation on USSD-Based Self-Screening – Participants were guided through the TAMBUA TB USSD menu, understanding how presumptive TB cases are identified based on client responses. The session included a hands-on simulation of the screening workflow via the web-based application, mirroring the real-time client experience.
✅ Live Testing & Practice on USSD Code – To ensure a practical grasp of the tool, healthcare workers engaged in real-time USSD testing, navigating the self-screening process and analyzing how client responses determine presumptive TB status.
✅ Case Management within eTL System – The UDSM DHIS2 team conducted in-depth training on handling TB cases at the district level, focusing on:
✔️ Tracking presumptive cases using digital tools
✔️ Follow-up strategies for confirmed presumptive cases
✔️ Referral workflows for client transfers from district to facility level
✔️ Integration of TB case data into the electronic TB & Leprosy (eTL) system for streamlined reporting
Impact of the Pilot Roll-Out
🚀 Enhanced TB Case Detection: The use of TAMBUA TB USSD improves access to early TB screening, ensuring high-risk individuals are identified, tracked, and referred promptly.
📊 Optimized TB Data Management: The integration of TAMBUA TB case data into the eTL system ensures real-time visibility of case progression, supporting evidence-based interventions at both district and facility levels.
📍 Strengthened District-Level Case Management: Training has equipped TB focal persons and DTLCs with the skills to effectively track, follow up, and refer TB cases, ensuring continuity of care and improved treatment adherence.
Scaling Up Digital Innovations for TB Control
The UDSM DHIS2 team continues to champion digital health innovations, ensuring that TAMBUA TB USSD screening and case management is efficiently integrated into Tanzania’s TB control strategies. Moving forward, efforts will focus on expanding the roll-out, optimizing system usability, and leveraging digital solutions for comprehensive disease surveillance and management.
📢 Together, we are advancing TB case management through digital transformation!