In Tanzania’s Kigoma Region, the fight against tuberculosis is being transformed by faster and more accurate diagnosis, allowing people suspected of having TB to receive results within hours instead of days. This enables patients to begin treatment earlier, recover sooner, and lower the risk of transmitting the disease to others. The progress is being driven by expanded access to WHO-recommended molecular rapid diagnostic tools, including GeneXpert 10-color machines, which are strengthening frontline TB and HIV services and demonstrating the impact of investing in better diagnostic systems.
Tuberculosis remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the WHO African Region, where someone dies from the disease every 83 seconds. In 2024 alone, TB caused around 378,000 deaths and 2.7 million infections across the region. Tanzania remains one of the high-burden countries, with an estimated 118,000 infections and 23,500 deaths in 2024. However, the country has made significant progress, reducing TB deaths by 75% between 2015 and 2024 through continued investment in expanding diagnostic services, improving treatment, and reaching more communities.
Health officials in Tanzania say the introduction of advanced diagnostic machines is already making a visible difference in places like Kigoma, where more facilities can now test patients quickly and start treatment without delay. These tools improve the speed and accuracy of diagnosis, strengthen the detection of drug-resistant TB, and support health workers in making faster treatment decisions. For patients, the improved services offer renewed hope and a quicker path to recovery.
The article also highlights that ending TB depends not only on medical technology but also on strong community engagement. Across Tanzania, community health workers, civil society organizations, and TB survivors are helping raise awareness, reduce stigma, and encourage people to seek care early and complete treatment. Their efforts are critical in ensuring that more people are diagnosed and treated before the disease spreads further.
Tanzania’s progress shows that a TB-free future is possible with strong government leadership, sustained health investment, donor support, and active community involvement. WHO continues to support the Ministry of Health by helping roll out new innovations, including easier testing methods such as tongue swabs and more affordable portable diagnostic tools designed to improve access in remote areas. Together, these efforts are strengthening Tanzania’s national TB response and bringing the goal of ending TB closer within reach.
