DIAMA

The DIAMA (DIAgnostics for Multidrug resistant tuberculosis in Africa) study aims to address current gaps in the diagnosis and management of patients with Multi-Drug-Resistant (MDR) tuberculosis.

Building on existing networks and research collaborations previously funded by EDCTP, this project involves partners in West, Central, and Eastern Africa. It aims to evaluate and implement rapid and accurate molecular tests for several anti-TB drugs, to replace the current dependency on phenotypic drug resistance testing (DST), which takes up to 4 months and is technically so demanding that few laboratories can perform these tests correctly.

The project is built on the continuous surveillance of TB retreatment patients for rifampicin resistance. Nine African partners are involved in this project: Benin, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Senegal.