The National Institute for Medical Research Muhimbili Centre (Tanzania) in collaboration with the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), the Makerere University Lung Institute (MLI), and the Infectious Disease Institute (IDI) in Uganda, the Institute of Endemic Diseases in Sudan, the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia and the Kilimanjaro Christian Research Institute (KCRI) in Tanzania have been funded by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnerships (EDCTP)  to accelerate the translation of research into policy and practice through implementation of the Evidence-Based Multiple Focus Integrated Intensified TB Screening Package (EXIT-TB) in the East African region. The EXIT-TB project is implemented under the platform of East Africa Consortium for Clinical Research (EACCR), in partnership with the University College London (UCL), Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and University of Bergen.  

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. This high burden is mainly attributed to low case detection and delayed diagnosis. Recently, country surveys have shown the unacceptably high prevalence of confirmed TB even among those with a low duration cough and more than 50% of those with prevalent bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB do not report symptoms that correspond to presumptive TB. Furthermore, there is an increase in the incidence of smear-negative pulmonary TB patients who can serve as a source of infection. In view of the foregoing, aggressive control measures are essential.