A trial across 24 hospitals in Tanzania conducted by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine found that AI-supported diabetic retinopathy screening almost doubled specialist follow-up attendance. Of patients needing referral, 35.9% in the AI group attended specialist care within eight weeks compared to 18.2% in standard screening. The Tanzanian Ministry of Health has committed to integrating AI diagnostics across multiple regions.
Trial results on specialist follow-up
- ▪In a Tanzanian hospital trial, 35.9% of patients with referral-level diabetic retinopathy receiving AI-supported screening attended specialist clinics within eight weeks, compared to 18.2% receiving standard screening.
- ▪Patients screened with AI technology in the Tanzanian trial attended specialist follow-up care in an average of 10.9 days, compared to 36.9 days for standard screening.
Comparison of AI and standard screening workflows
- ▪Standard diabetic retinopathy screening in the Tanzanian trial required offsite image assessment by hospital staff, delaying patient results and telephone counseling by several weeks.
- ▪Patients receiving AI-supported diabetic retinopathy screening in the Tanzanian trial obtained immediate point-of-care results and face-to-face counseling from health care workers.
Future implementation and policy response
- ▪Researchers emphasized that expanded AI diabetic retinopathy screening in Tanzania must be paired with improved access to specialist clinics and treatments to prevent vision loss.
- ▪The Tanzanian Ministry of Health committed to integrating AI diagnostics into diabetic eye screening programs across multiple regions of Tanzania following the trial.
Study methodology and publication
- ▪The Tanzanian diabetic retinopathy trial results were published in The Lancet Global Health by lead author Dr. Charles R. Cleland and research colleagues.
- ▪A study by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine evaluated 2,378 people across 24 hospitals in Tanzania to compare AI-supported diabetic retinopathy screening against standard pathways.
Debatable claims
- ▪Tanzania should prioritize expanding specialist treatment capacity over AI screening rollout
- ▪Immediate face-to-face counseling is the main driver of improved patient follow-up in AI screening programs
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