Roche Africa Launches “Integration Accelerated” to Expand Access to TB Diagnostics and Strengthen Integrated Care Across the Continent

Marking World TB Day 2026, Roche Diagnostics Africa has unveiled Integration Accelerated, a strategic initiative aimed at supporting African countries to expand access to diagnostic services while strengthening sustainable, integrated healthcare systems.

The initiative is designed to enable countries to test for multiple high-burden diseases simultaneously, improving efficiency through the optimal use of existing healthcare infrastructure.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease, with an estimated 10.7 million cases and 1.23 million deaths recorded globally in 2024.

While Africa has achieved notable progress—recording some of the fastest declines worldwide, with new TB cases reduced by 28% and deaths by 46% since 2015—the continent still bears a significant share of the global burden.

Africa accounts for approximately one-quarter of new TB cases and over 30% of related deaths. A considerable number of cases remain undiagnosed or unreported, while the intersection of TB and HIV continues to complicate care delivery across many countries.

Against a backdrop of tightening resources, accelerating progress will depend largely on how effectively countries leverage existing technologies and infrastructure to broaden access and enhance care delivery.

Integration Accelerated addresses this need by enabling the use of established HIV diagnostic platforms to support additional testing for TB, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and Hepatitis B and C. This integrated approach allows countries to maximise current systems, adopt a “whole-patient” care model, and improve laboratory efficiency—without requiring significant new capital investment.

The initiative aligns with evolving national priorities across Africa, where governments are increasingly focused on scalable, cost-effective solutions that enhance health system resilience and improve patient outcomes.

Key components of Integration Accelerated include:
• Optimisation of existing diagnostic capacity
• An all-inclusive access model delivering cost efficiencies across multiple disease areas
• Tailored technical support to facilitate implementation across diverse country contexts

Commenting on the launch, Dr Allan Pamba, Executive Vice President, Roche Diagnostics Africa, stated:

“In 2025, the world moved away from traditional models of healthcare funding. In 2026, Roche is introducing a new approach. Integration Accelerated is designed to help countries maximise impact within the realities of constrained budgets.

“By breaking away from vertical, donor-driven systems, this initiative supports the development of resilient and integrated healthcare systems. Leveraging the widespread footprint of HIV diagnostic instruments, we can transform unused capacity into timely, life-saving diagnostic results while enabling more holistic patient care.”

Roche continues to play a leading role as an industry partner, providing both the solutions and technical expertise required to implement integrated diagnostic systems across complex healthcare environments in Africa.

The initiative also seeks to optimise the use of medium- and high-volume diagnostic instruments, helping countries avoid unnecessary investments. Its integrated access model—covering HIV, TB, HPV, and Hepatitis—offers the potential for significant cost savings for Ministries of Health, alongside a flexible suite of technical support services tailored to individual country needs.

Dr Pamba added:
“As countries strengthen their TB response efforts, integration presents a practical and impactful pathway to expand access, improve efficiency, and deliver more coordinated outcomes for patients.”