The World Health Organization and the Stop TB Partnership have launched a new tuberculosis diagnostic toolkit aimed at speeding up the rollout of next-generation testing closer to communities, in a move designed to close critical gaps in TB detection worldwide.

 

Announced on 6 May 2026, the “TB near point-of-care and swab-based testing toolkit” supports countries as they implement recently recommended molecular diagnostics that can detect tuberculosis—including drug-resistant forms—outside of centralized laboratories.

 

At the heart of the new approach are near point-of-care nucleic acid amplification tests, or NPOC-NAATs, which allow TB testing to be expanded into basic laboratories, primary health centres, and even community-level settings. Health officials say the shift could dramatically shorten the time between symptoms and diagnosis, especially in underserved areas.

 

A key innovation included in the guidance is the use of tongue swabs for testing. The method is intended to improve access for people who cannot produce sputum, including children and severely ill patients—groups often at higher risk of missed or delayed diagnosis.

 

The toolkit is designed as a practical, implementation-focused package rather than a policy document. It includes readiness checklists, training materials, verification protocols, standard operating procedures for sample collection and testing, capacity planning tools for equipment and staffing needs, and automated monitoring templates.

 

Officials say the goal is to help countries rapidly and safely scale up new TB diagnostics while ensuring quality and consistency across decentralized testing sites. By moving testing closer to patients, health agencies hope to strengthen early detection and support global efforts toward ending tuberculosis as a public health threat.

 

The WHO and its partners say the toolkit is intended to accelerate “evidence-based, quality-assured scale-up” of new diagnostic strategies, with the ultimate aim of improving access, reducing delays, and increasing the number of people accurately diagnosed and treated for TB.