Figure 1: Group photo of the CAB members.
CAB Meeting Highlights: An Update on the CAGE-TB Study
The fourth Community Advisory Board (CAB) meeting for the Makerere University College of Health Sciences, School of Biomedical Sciences (MAKCHS-SBS), was held on August 1st, 2025, in the Molecular Lab Conference Room.
The meeting brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including community representatives, healthcare professionals, and the study’s principal investigator, Dr. Willy Ssengooba. The agenda focused on reviewing previous minutes and, most importantly, receiving a comprehensive update on the progress of the CAGE-TB study.
Project Update: A Breakthrough in TB Diagnosis
Dr. Willy Ssengooba provided an exciting update on the CAGE-TB study, a project utilising artificial intelligence (AI) to create a novel and cost-effective method for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis. The study investigates the concept that a distinct sound signature is generated when a person with TB coughs, which can be detected by a well-trained AI.
The goal is to develop a smartphone application that healthcare workers can use at triage points in hospitals. Patients would simply cough into the phone, and the app would analyse the sound to identify potential TB cases, helping to streamline the diagnostic process and save on testing costs.
The study, originally planned for three years, has received an additional two years of funding. The ultimate goal is to make the app publicly available on platforms like the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, allowing individuals to use it as a preliminary screening tool. This would empower people to seek further testing if the app indicates their cough might need further medical attention.
Addressing Community Concerns and Celebrating Success
During the update, a community representative, Linda Ruvwa, raised important questions about potential infection control issues with using shared phones. Dr. Willy addressed this, explaining that researchers are currently recommending the use of masks when coughing into the device and are actively collecting feedback from patients and healthcare workers on the best way to implement the app. He also assured the board that the app’s results would be carefully worded to avoid causing public anxiety, suggesting a message that encourages users to seek further testing rather than delivering a definitive diagnosis of “TB positive.”
Dr. Willy also took the opportunity to highlight the significant achievements of the CAGE-TB study, which include:
- Capacity building: The project has sponsored numerous post-doctoral, Ph.D., and Master’s students in Uganda and South Africa.
- Skill development: Staff have gained valuable experience in project management, grant proposal writing, and publishing research.
- Research and publication: The study has already resulted in several publications, with more expected in the future.
- Infrastructure development: The project has contributed to the development of a new study office and the acquisition of new equipment for the University.
Following a question from Ms. Ruvwa about the CAB’s visibility, Dr. Willy affirmed the board’s crucial role and explained that CAB meeting minutes and photos are shared with partners and funders and are posted on the study’s website. He emphasised the researchers’ gratitude for the relationship with the board and requested that members act as ambassadors for scientific studies within their communities.
The meeting concluded with a plan to take the CAB members on a tour of the study sites and the available laboratory capacity at Makerere University School of Biomedical sciences. These included, the Mycobacteriology (BSL-3) facility, Molecular Diagnostics Lab, Genomics and Sequencing facility, Biorepository and Immunology Laboratory. The CAB meeting was concluded with Lunch with the CAB members and the study team.
Figure 2: CAB members while on a tour of the TB lab.