Sindh Government Qatar Hospital, Orangi Town, has become the first health care centre in the province to diagnose tuberculosis (TB) using artificial intelligence (AI).
An AI-powered automatic machine for TB diagnosis, the Cat 4 Integrated AI X-ray machine, has been installed at the hospital. This highly advanced AI-equipped X-ray machine will not only detect TB but also identify other chest infections in patients. It can provide an initial diagnosis of TB within five minutes.
Dr. Rashid Siraj Khanzada, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital, told The Express Tribune, when a TB or chest infection patient undergoes scanning with this machine, the grayscale image will be converted into a coloured image by AI, highlighting the infected areas. The grayscale will change to red, indicating the presence of TB or chest infections, with the diagnosis completed within five minutes.
He mentioned that the cost of this machine is Rs45 million and it has been installed at Qatar Hospital with the support of the Sindh TB Programme. A second machine will also be installed at Ojha.
Dr. Rashid Siraj emphasised that this machine will enable immediate identification of TB, allowing for prompt treatment. The high-end machine's images can also be sent via WhatsApp.
Previously, TB diagnosis would take several days, during which a single TB patient could infect 15 to 20 healthy individuals.
The hospital staff has been properly trained to operate this machine. Dr. Khanzada further mentioned that a separate unit has been established for TB patients at Qatar Hospital, and special rooms have been created for their diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, he revealed that around 120 to 150 TB patients report daily.
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