In this video you meet Romana, a 22-year-old small scale farmer from Tanzania. To remind her to take her tuberculosis (TB) medication daily and timely, she uses a digital adherence technology (DAT), specifically the medication sleeve/label from 99DOTS, provided by the Unitaid-funded ASCENT project.

Using the medication sleeve, Romana receives a reminder on her phone when it’s time for her medication. Her medication is provided in blisters with labels attached. The label has a code, that she texts to a toll-free number after taking her medication to confirm she has taken her treatment that specific day. After Romana sends the text, she receives a congratulatory message back.

Romana speaks fondly about the DAT: “This helps us because there are times that you are busy with different chores and forget to take your medication. It helps me and reminds me to take my pills.”

If a patient using the medication sleeve/label forgets to take a dose, the system will send them a reminder.

View a full explanation of the medication sleeve/label and the interview with Romana here:

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