The ASCENT project, funded by Unitaid and led by KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, implements the use and study of Digital Adherence Technology (DAT) for tuberculosis (TB) treatment in Ethiopia. The national health exhibition organizing committee selected the ASCENT project for the National Health Exhibition, conducted from June 20 – 27 July 2023, in Addis Ababa at the Ethiopian Museum of Art and Science.

In the exhibition, that lasted for 6 weeks, 150,000 estimated visitors from different sectors, such as higher officials, policymakers, political leaders, funders, all federal-level minister offices, religious organizations, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, universities, private sectors, business owners, civil servants, volunteers, family members and individuals, visited the exhibition. Internationals that also presented at the exhibition for different missions also joined.

In this national health exhibition, the ASCENT Ethiopia team was able to share experience on the implementation of DAT and raise awareness on the benefits of DATs for TB patients, healthcare workers (HCWs), TB program managers, and TB programs, through presentations, demonstrations, posters, stickers and testimonial videos. The demonstration was very interactive and included registering demo patients and showing how DATs contribute to the mission of fighting TB.

The ASCENT Ethiopia team received a lot of positive feedback from visitors. Many people were interested in learning more about DATs and how the technologies help them improve the treatment outcome of different disease conditions, including their individual or personal health. The team also received several questions related to DAT and explained it to the visitors in detail, which made the event very informative and interactive.

The Unitaid-funded and supported ASCENT project is led by KNCV TB Plus in partnership with The Aurum Institute, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and PATH.