Bulawayo records 211 new cases of tuberculosis

Mashudu Mambo, Gender and Health Reporter

BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) clinics have so far recorded 211 new Tuberculosis cases this year which have been reported to health officials.

The city has 20 council clinics in Bulawayo that offer free TB screening including symptom screening, HIV testing and sputum collection.

The cases come on the backdrop of World Tuberculosis Day which is commemorated each year on 24 March. The day is usually set aside to build public awareness about the disease and efforts to eliminate it with figures showing that over 3000 people die every day globally while 1.3 million died from the disease in 2022 alone.

Bulawayo Health Services Department Director Dr Edwin Sibanda-Mzingwane said they are working on ensuring that they end Tuberculosis by the year 2035.

“In 2024, Bulawayo recorded a total of 1 245 cases of TB and so far in 2025 there are 211 notified cases. The city is facing resource constraints but there is progress towards ending TB by 2035. We are currently conducting targeted free TB screening in the province at all council clinics,” he said.

Dr Sibanda-Mzingwane said the city is set to celebrate World Tuberculosis Day at a later date.

“The celebrations of World Tuberculosis Day will be held later due to other competing programmes,” he said.

According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care in 2024, Zimbabwe recorded 20 189 Tuberculosis cases, an increase from 19 545 cases in 2023.