Ethiopia TB Diagnostic Network Connectivity
iNTP | Stop TB Partnership
Ethiopia's national TB diagnostic network connected to one shared data store, now more than 1,000 GeneXpert instruments across 700+ facilities in all 12 regions.
The challenge
By March 2023, Ethiopia had expanded its TB diagnostic network to 502 GeneXpert instruments, but connectivity, maintenance, and real-time data transmission had not kept pace. Of 286 previously connected instruments, only 159 were still reporting in real time, held back by outdated software and hardware limitations. Results moved slowly, and the national programme had little live visibility into how its testing fleet was performing.
What MedX did
Under the Stop TB Partnership and USAID introducing New Tools Project (iNTP), REACH Ethiopia partnered with MedX to connect the country's entire GeneXpert network into one shared data store. Using MedX's Device Connectivity solution, powered by MedX Automation, every instrument streamed results and operational status in real time, feeding rapid result delivery, fleet monitoring, and national surveillance reporting from a single source of truth.
Background
Since 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Stop TB Partnership's Global Laboratory Initiative (GLI) have urged countries to connect all molecular diagnostic instruments. This forms part of the Framework of Indicators and Targets for Laboratory Strengthening under the End TB Strategy. Ethiopia's work with MedX, commissioned by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) through the iNTP project, set out to meet that commitment at national scale and to do so in a way the country could sustain.
What we connected
MedX connected GeneXpert instruments across all 11 regions and 2 city administrations to one shared FHIR data store, then layered three capabilities on top of that connected fleet.
Real-time result transmission
- SMS delivery of test results directly to clinicians and patients.
- Turnaround time reduced from days to hours.
- 68% of test results now available the same day, compared with 45% previously.
- Immediate notification for critical results.
Instrument monitoring (Device Intelligence)
- Remote monitoring of GeneXpert functionality and maintenance status across the fleet.
- Proactive identification of module failures and maintenance needs.
- Automated service request generation to manufacturers.
- Real-time inventory management of cartridges and supplies.
Data-driven decision making (Disease Surveillance)
- Real-time laboratory programmatic data feeding national reporting.
- Monthly, quarterly, and annual TB laboratory performance reports.
- Utilisation analytics for workload planning and resource allocation.
- Geographical mapping of test performance and caseloads.
Results
- 502 GeneXpert instruments connected nationwide by March 2023.
- 100% regional coverage across 11 regions and 2 city administrations.
- 720,000+ SMS results delivered to clinicians and patients.
- Same-day results increased from 45% to 68%.
- 95% uptime achieved, with a 24/7 help desk supporting sites.
- Faster clinical decision-making and improved treatment initiation.
Where it stands now
The network kept growing after the iNTP work closed, and MedX Automation has been carrying it since 2022. The fleet is now more than twice the size it was at the point this case study describes, and the Ministry holds a perpetual licence covering unlimited use across every contracted facility.
- 1,000+ GeneXpert instruments connected nationwide.
- 700+ facilities, across all 12 regions.
- 8,247 MTB tests a month streaming to GxAlert and DHIS2.
- Perpetual licence held by the Ministry, with no recurring fee for Automation use.
"The connectivity solution has revolutionised our TB diagnostic network. We now have real-time visibility into all our GeneXpert instruments and can deliver results to patients and clinicians faster than ever before."
Dr. Getnet Yimer, Ethiopian Public Health Institute
Sustainability
The project paired the technology with comprehensive training programmes and local technical support, so EPHI could run and grow the network without ongoing external dependence. Ethiopia's connected TB diagnostic network now serves as a regional reference model, showing how a single connected data store can speed up patient care, keep a national instrument fleet healthy, and strengthen disease surveillance across Africa.
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