KIGALI, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda has made significant progress in fighting tuberculosis, with the disease prevalence falling by over 70 percent between 2000 and 2024 due to various government interventions, health authorities said Tuesday.
In a statement citing the Global Tuberculosis Report 2025 released by the World Health Organization, the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) said tuberculosis cases in the country fell from 238 to 62 per 100,000 people between 2000 and 2024, while deaths dropped from 77 to 3 per 100,000 people over the same period due to various health interventions.
The interventions cited by the RBC include increasing the role of health workers in awareness campaigns, promoting early detection and supporting treatment in villages. In addition, the agency highlighted the extension of free diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis to health facilities across the country.
During an event held on Tuesday to mark World Tuberculosis Day, Albert Tuyishime, in charge of disease prevention and control at the RBC, reaffirmed the government's commitment to curbing tuberculosis by 2035.
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
However, in Rwanda, a lack of awareness among many people about how tuberculosis spreads, its symptoms and prevention measures calls for more public education, health officials said.
About 600,000 people with tuberculosis in the African region are either undiagnosed or not receiving treatment every year, according to the World Health Organization. ■