India Health Fund (IHF), a Tata Trusts initiative, is poised to transform tuberculosis (TB) screening at scale by enabling the development of the world’s most affordable molecular screening tool for TB.

Supporting D-Nome, a deep-tech startup based out of Hyderabad, IHF will enable development and validation of indigenously developed D-Nome’s D-ISO NAAT molecular screening platform for TB, expanding equitable access to molecular TB screening at primary health centres (PHCs) and strengthening health systems. D-Nome’s D-ISO NAAT platform offers an end-to-end PHC-compatible molecular platform.

India continues to bear the highest global burden of tuberculosis, accounting for nearly 25–27% of all cases worldwide, with an estimated ~2.7 million cases in 2024. While significant progress has reduced the number of “missing” cases to ~82,000 (around 3%), gaps in early and accurate diagnosis persist – particularly at the primary healthcare level, where nearly half of patients first seek care. While molecular diagnostics have improved accuracy, their accessibility at the last mile is limited by cost, infrastructure, and operational complexity. There is a critical need for solutions that combine molecular- grade performance with affordability and decentralised deployment at PHCs. D-Nome’s D-ISO NAAT platform addresses these challenges by offering a cost-effective solution with operational simplicity and minimal infrastructure requirements.

IHF’s support to this near point-of-care screening tool will focus on advancing product refinement, supporting technical and clinical validation, and enabling a clear pathway for future integration into national TB programmes.

This collaboration aims to:

• Develop and validate a rapid, qualitative, point-of-care TB screening platform
• Expand to integrate quantitative detection platform – delivering dual outputs in the form of qualitative and quantitative insights
• Enable affordable, decentralised molecular screening with minimal infrastructure requirements
• Improve coverage access and coverage for TB detection
• Integrate quantitative capabilities to support load-based insights for triage
• Strengthen clinical decision-making at PHC level.

This strategic support underscores IHF’s commitment to advancing impactful health innovations that support India’s national TB elimination programme.

Leader’s Speak

Madhav Joshi, CEO, India Health Fund:

“Enabling the development of the world’s first affordable molecular screening tool for TB, designed for near-patient use, marks a significant step forward. Our catalytic investment in D-Nome reflects our commitment to strengthening TB diagnosis and care through innovative, accessible solutions. This effort will help deliver a modular and scalable platform that spans screening to monitoring, while expanding access to high-quality TB testing in near-patient settings under the national program.”

Sujoy Deb, Co-founder/CTO, D-NOME:

“Our indigenously built, truly point-of-care diagnostic platform ensures that no TB case is missed — delivering rapid, reliable results even in resource-limited settings. Designed as a scalable platform, it can be extended to detect antimicrobial resistance, empowering India’s healthcare system with accessible, high-impact innovation.”

Divya Sriram, Co-founder/CEO, D-NOME:

“Every missed TB case is a missed opportunity to save a life. Goal of our technology ensures no case goes undetected — bringing accuracy, speed, and reach to the frontline of TB diagnosis.”