Working at Qure.ai, much of my reading revolves around healthcare, the devastating impact of diseases like tuberculosis (TB), and the transformative role AI can play in addressing these challenges. But a story I came across recently stood out as a poignant reminder of why this work matters and the driving force behind everything I strive to articulate.
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Seventeen-month-old Zemira was a vibrant, active child, eagerly hitting her developmental milestones; calling out “mama,” climbing couches, and exploring her world with curiosity. But after a trip to the Philippines, her parents began noticing troubling changes. Zemira grew lethargic, lost her appetite, and started vomiting daily. What followed was a whirlwind of tests and an extended hospital stay that eventually confirmed the diagnosis: tuberculosis.
For her parents, the diagnosis was both shocking and terrifying. Thanks to timely intervention and months of treatment, Zemira made a full recovery. But her story underscores the fact that while Zemira was fortunate, the silent persistence of TB means countless children across the world devastated by it are not as lucky, as they continue to face delayed diagnoses and a lack of access to life-saving care.
From the highlands of Lesotho to the remote, rural villages of Bihar, and the underserved communities of Nigeria, Qure.ai is working hand in hand with local partners to bridge critical gaps in pediatric TB care through the power of AI.
Every one of these regions reveals a story far beyond numbers. A story of children who are often invisible in the global fight against TB. They remind us that children are not statistics; they are lives full of potential waiting to be saved. Every intervention matters, and AI can overcome geographical, social, and systemic barriers, ensuring that no child, no matter how distant or disadvantaged, is left behind.
The WHO Global TB Report 2024 reveals that an estimated 1.29 million children and adolescents under 15 years of age fell ill with TB, accounting for about 12% of the global TB incidence of 10.8 million cases. Even more distressing is the fact that 15% of all TB-related deaths among HIV-negative individuals in 2023 were children and young adolescents. This stark reality underscores the preventable and curable nature of TB, making these deaths not only tragic but also a grim reminder of the vulnerability of children due to systemic gaps in timely access to care.
While global efforts to combat TB have intensified, significant challenges persist. Nearly half of all children affected by TB remain undiagnosed and untreated, highlighting critical diagnostic and treatment gaps. The enduring global pediatric TB burden emphasizes the need for equitable and innovative solutions to address these systemic barriers and ensure every child receives the care they deserve.
Today, AI healthcare solutions offer innovative approaches to address these long-standing challenges. In pediatric TB, where nonspecific symptoms and diagnostic difficulties often delay treatment, AI-driven solutions like Qure.ai’s qXR and qTrack are helping to reinforce health systems.
Today, AI healthcare solutions offer innovative approaches to address these long-standing challenges. In pediatric TB, where nonspecific symptoms and diagnostic difficulties often delay treatment, AI-driven solutions like Qure.ai’s qXR and qTrack are helping to reinforce health systems.
qXR is the world's most widely used AI for comprehensive chest X-ray reporting, providing pre-read assistance in <1 minute with detailed lung findings. qTrack is an end-to-end AI-powered disease & program management platform for tuberculosis through smart prompts, hardware-agnostic image viewing for AI-annotated Chest X-Rays and CTs, cross-departmental scan sharing, and custom notifications for suspect cases.
Qure.ai offers the only comprehensive digital solution for Pediatric TB detection and management, addressing both clinical and operational complexities with precision and reliability. Its AI-powered CXR screening supports WHO’s Treatment Decision Algorithm (TDA) A, facilitating early detection and improved case management. This solution is WHO-evaluated* and CE MDR-certified#, ensuring they meet global safety and performance standards.
Built using gold standard microbiologically tested pediatric CXRs and clinically diagnosed cases, and validated through rigorous internal studies Qure.ai’s technology is finely tuned to handle the unique challenges of diagnosing TB in children. The solutions empower healthcare providers in resource-constrained settings to confidently identify and treat cases, reducing turnaround times and enabling timely interventions for high-risk groups.
In Africa, our pediatric TB initiative in collaboration with Partners in Health (PIH) Lesotho is strengthening health systems and improving outcomes. Qure’s AI-powered solutions have enabled screenings in Lebakeng, evaluating over 200 children since the program’s inception. These efforts are not just about numbers but about transforming lives, ensuring children previously excluded from healthcare access are now reached in the fight against TB.
Qure.ai is also working with Janna Health Nigeria to expand pediatric TB screenings. Operating in resource-constrained settings, these partnerships highlight the critical role of AI in closing diagnostic gaps and advancing equitable care pathways for children.
In the recent past, an Active Case Finding (ACF) initiative in rural India, screened over 1,100 children across 10 villages, with Qure.ai’s qXR identifying 33 presumptive TB cases. Despite logistical challenges, including villages up to 100 kilometers away, the initiative demonstrated the importance of community-based healthcare and the role of AI in addressing gaps for key and vulnerable populations.
Even so, the fact remains that the disparity in TB diagnosis rates is not just a healthcare challenge. It is a social justice issue. The WHO reported that only 42% of eligible household contacts aged under five received TB preventive care, reflecting inequities in service delivery. AI-powered solutions like qXR and qTrack offer scalable, cost-effective solutions that aligns with global priorities:
• Strengthening Health Systems: By supporting healthcare workers with AI-driven insights, even non-specialists in remote areas can diagnose TB with confidence.
• Focusing on Key and Vulnerable Populations: AI identifies high-risk groups, such as children under five or those living in TB-affected households, enabling targeted interventions.
• Bridging Policy-Practice Gaps: AI complements WHO’s updated Roadmap toward ending TB in children, offering practical solutions to address persistent inequities.
Ending TB in children requires a unified effort, including policy support to secure funding for AI driven solutions, training healthcare workers to effectively use AI technologies, and scaling innovations to ensure that no region or community is left behind.
The effort against pediatric TB is as much about inclusion as innovation. AI has the power to bridge care gaps, strengthen health systems, and ensure every child can receive timely, effective TB care. The question remains: are we ready to harness this potential and create a world where no child’s future is stolen by TB?
