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Bengaluru Hospital Boosts TB Testing Capacity with New Machine

Bengaluru, December 5, 2025 – KC General Hospital in Bengaluru received a major boost in its tuberculosis (TB) testing capacity with the inauguration of a new Cartridge-Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (CBNAAT) machine on Thursday. The addition aims to expedite diagnosis and alleviate pressure on the hospital’s existing TB testing facilities, which have been struggling to keep up with the city’s high patient load.

The new machine, provided by Syngenta India Pvt. Ltd. under its CSR initiative, is one of seven CBNAAT machines donated to the state of Karnataka, worth around ₹1.5 crore. According to Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, the other machines have been allocated to Vijayanagar and Kolar districts.

CBNAAT technology offers rapid TB detection and identifies rifampicin resistance within two hours. This drastically reduces turnaround time compared to traditional culture methods, which can take weeks. With high sensitivity and specificity, the test is crucial for the early and accurate diagnosis of both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary TB.

The addition of the new CBNAAT machine is expected to significantly enhance diagnostic capacity at KC General, where the existing machine has been overwhelmed with specimens, leading to delays in test result turnaround.

Karnataka currently operates 145 CBNAAT machines under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP). Between January and October 2025, over 1.6 million presumptive TB cases were tested in the State, with nearly 1.1 million undergoing molecular testing.

This initiative aligns with India’s ambitious goal of eliminating TB by 2025, five years ahead of global targets. The expansion of rapid molecular testing is a key component of the National Strategic Plan. The state has notified 63,605 TB cases till October 2025, achieving 95% of its annual target. The treatment success rate is 88%.

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