Zim battles TB stigma as 13 000 cases go undetected in 2025

Zimbabwe is intensifying efforts to confront Tuberculosis (TB) stigma and discrimination after new data revealed that thousands of cases went undetected last year, undermining national targets to eliminate the disease. Health officials say stigma, which is deeply entrenched both in communities and within healthcare systems, is a major barrier to diagnosis and treatment, with serious consequences for public health. This is why the government, through the Ministry of Health and ChildCare with the National AIDS Council (NAC) is rolling out a National TB Stigma Reduction Plan to reduce discrimination.

Speaking during a district sensitisation programme in Bulawayo last Thursday, officials warned that despite TB being preventable and curable, Zimbabwe continues to record significant infections and deaths annually. Latest figures show that in 2025, an estimated 35 000 people had TB in Zimbabwe, but only 22 000 were detected and put on treatment, leaving about 13 000 cases “missing” and untreated. At the same time, between 1 500 and 2 000 people die from TB every year.

Read CITE investigation that exposed the issue:https://cite.org.zw/bulawayos-silent-crisis-patients-defaulting-on-hiv-and-tb-treatment/ “These are people who are out there in the community, not on treatment, and potentially transmitting TB to others,” said Community TB Care Officer in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Kwenziweyinkosi Ndlovu. “For us to defeat TB, there are two main things we must do, find all the cases and treat them all. If we don’t, the disease will continue to spread.” Zimbabwe’s TB burden remains significant, with an incidence rate of about 203 cases per 100 000 people.

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“WHO uses mathematical modelling, based on population size and disease burden, to estimate TB cases in each country. For Zimbabwe, the estimated number of people with TB in 2025 was 35 000. Of these, about 22 000 were detected, with 13 000 missing,” Dr Ndlovu said. The country also faces a high rate of TB and HIV co-infection, with 49 percent of TB patients also living with HIV.

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