Biography
Aldo Burua is a public health specialist with over 15 years of experience in TB and HIV program management. He works with the Uganda National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Program (NTLP), where he leads the design and implementation of strategies for TB case finding, including the rollout of digital X-ray. Dr. Aldo is currently registered as a PhD fellow with the Amsterdam University Medical Centers at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Makerere University Lung Institute (MLI), where his research aims to better understand asymptomatic tuberculosis and strategies for early detection and treatment of TB to end TB by 2030.
Key Impacts
Enhancing TB treatment outcomes in high mobility, densely populated urban hubs: Scalable lessons from targeted interventions
Designing community-led patient centered interventions and strengthening systems to proactively respond to treatment barriers in complex urban settings is pivotal in improving and sustaining TB treatment outcomes.
Source: Conference 2024
Prevalence and factors associated with asymptomatic pulmonary TB: A secondary data analysis of Uganda TB prevalence survey conducted in 2014-2015
Asymptomatic TB contributed to 17%-50% of the TB burden in the general population depending on the definition used, and was associated with older age > 55 years, HIV infection and living in an urban setting. We recommend scaling up non-symptoms-based strategies such as digital X-ray and rapid molecular tests for TB screening among high risk populations for early TB case detection and treatment initiation.
Source: Conference 2024
How subtle is asymptomatic pulmonary TB? Lessons from using digital chest X-ray with computer aided detection software for TB case finding in communities in Uganda
Nearly half of the TB patients identified in this community-based screening initiative were asymptomatic. Deployment of digital X-ray and CAD technology enabled detection of cases that might otherwise go unnoticed. National TB programs and partners are encouraged to prioritize integration of digital X-ray and CAD in TB screening efforts to improve early detection and treatment outcomes.
Source: Conference 2024