Tanzania tests smart pillbox technology to improve TB treatment adherence

TANZANIA — Scientists in Tanzania are testing a smart electronic pillbox that tracks whether tuberculosis patients are taking their medication, as the country pushes to improve recovery rates and curb the rise of drug-resistant infections.

The study, led by researchers at the Ifakara Health Institute, examines how accessible technology can help patients stay consistent with treatment—one of the biggest hurdles in the fight against TB.

The challenge of long treatment cycles

TB treatment is notoriously difficult to complete. The standard course runs six months, but patients with drug-resistant TB must endure regimens lasting up to 24 months.

Principal Investigator Beno Mbeya says this extended duration is a primary reason patients abandon their medication midway, putting both their recovery and public health at risk.

How the smart pillbox works

To address this, researchers are testing a device called the Wisepill box. Patients store their medication inside it, take it home, and use it daily.

Every time a patient opens the box, an automatic notification is sent to medical staff via phone or computer, recording the exact time of access.

This allows researchers to monitor adherence remotely and intervene early when a patient misses doses.

“This enables close tracking of patients’ adherence to treatment,” Mbeya explained, adding that family and community support remain equally important in helping patients complete their medication.

Cutting treatment time in half

Beyond monitoring, researchers are also working to shorten the treatment window dramatically.

Speaking at the World Tuberculosis Day commemoration in Dar es Salaam, Ifakara Health Institute Executive Director Honorati Masanja revealed that ongoing studies aim to reduce the standard treatment duration from six months to just two months.

Shorter treatment periods, he argued, would make it far easier for patients to see their medication through to the end, reducing the risk of drug resistance developing.

Researchers are also exploring simpler, technology-driven diagnostic tools to support earlier detection.

Earlier diagnosis, they say, gives patients a significantly better chance of full recovery.

Tanzania’s progress against TB

Despite these challenges, Tanzania has made measurable gains.

Chief Medical Officer Grace Magembe, citing the World Health Organization’s 2024 report, noted that new TB infections have fallen from 306 per 100,000 people in 2015 to 172 per 100,000 in 2024—a 44 percent decline.

Over the same period, TB-related deaths dropped from 56,000 to 23,500, a reduction of 59 percent.

Magembe attributed these results to sustained government investment in healthcare infrastructure, particularly in expanding diagnostic networks using modern technology.

The progress places Tanzania among a handful of countries currently on track to meet the global target of eliminating TB by 2030.