MBARARA, Uganda — Health authorities in Mbarara District have reported that five people died from tuberculosis (TB) between June and December 2025, raising concern over delayed health-seeking behavior among patients.
The district HIV focal person, Rogers Arinaitwe, attributed the deaths to late diagnosis and treatment, noting that many patients only seek medical care when the disease has already advanced, reducing the chances of successful treatment.
At the same time, health officials in Mbarara City have warned that many TB cases remain undetected, increasing the risk of continued transmission within communities despite high treatment success rates among diagnosed patients.
According to Dr Keirukye Mugisha, the gap between detected and estimated TB cases is a growing concern.
“Between October and December 2025, the city officially recorded 57 cases, but this likely represents only a fraction of the actual infections. Many more people are living with the disease without a formal diagnosis,” he said.
Over the past three years, Mbarara City has recorded a total of 794 TB cases. However, health officials warn that without intensified community screening and testing, the city may struggle to meet national TB elimination targets.
Despite these challenges, treatment outcomes remain encouraging for those diagnosed and enrolled into care. Dr. Keirukye noted that all patients identified in the most recent quarter were placed under supervised treatment and have since recovered.
However, he cautioned that poor adherence to treatment remains a major challenge.
“Inconsistent use of TB medication is the leading cause of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), which is much harder and more expensive to treat,” he explained.
Health surveillance teams have identified TB hotspots within the city, including Kijungu, Katete, Byafura, and Biharwe, where infection rates remain high.
Authorities are urging residents experiencing symptoms such as a persistent cough, night sweats, fever, or unexplained weight loss to seek immediate medical attention and undergo free TB screening.
As Mbarara continues to grow rapidly, health officials emphasize that identifying undetected TB cases is now a critical public health priority to curb further spread of the disease within the community.
