Uganda continues to grapple with a significant tuberculosis (TB) burden, with recent data from Epi Week 20, 2025, showing alarming case rates across several districts. Nakapiripirit tops the list with 13.8 cases per 10,000 people, followed by Nabilatuk (10.2) and Kalangala (8.3).
Kampala, the capital city, reports 6.7 cases per 10,000, underscoring persistent transmission risks even in urban areas. Other affected districts include Napak (7.3) and Mityana (7.2).
High TB burden is notably concentrated in health regions such as Karamoja and Kampala, with Bunyoro, South Central, and North Central regions also reporting substantial case numbers. While Karamoja remains the hardest hit, areas like Bukedi and Kigezi have recorded decreases compared to previous weeks.
Between Weeks 19 and 20 of 2025, national trends in TB screening and diagnosis remained steady. However, relapse TB cases—patients diagnosed after prior treatment—are closely tracked due to their potential to fuel ongoing transmission.
Uganda’s Points of Entry (POEs) are critical in TB control, with 252,575 travelers screened during Week 20 and 94% coverage at entry and exit points. Among these, 173 travelers were identified as presumptive TB cases, but only 113 underwent testing. No active TB cases were confirmed among travelers, and none were linked to care. Gaps were observed at Mirama Hills and Sebagoro POEs, where presumptive cases were not tested, highlighting potential weaknesses in border screening.
Active TB outbreaks persist in districts including Maracha (88 cases), Sheema (4), Buhweju (6), Bushenyi (25, including 2 deaths), and Kabale (8). These localized outbreaks call for intensified TB control efforts and community engagement to curb spread.
After years of slow progress, the global fight against TB made significant gains before the COVID-19 pandemic reversed much of the momentum. Tuberculosis remains one of the leading infectious killers worldwide, with an estimated 1.5 million deaths in 2020. Drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) remains a public health crisis; only about one-third of estimated DR-TB patients received treatment in 2020. Globally, only 5.8 million of the estimated 10 million people who fell ill with TB in 2020 were notified to health systems, leaving nearly half of TB cases undetected.
The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted TB services: between 2019 and 2020, case notifications dropped by 18%, with DR-TB notifications declining by 22%. Preventive therapy uptake also fell by 21%, while TB deaths increased for the first time in over a decade.
With less than a decade remaining to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals for TB elimination, urgent action is needed to accelerate detection, prevention, and treatment efforts. The Global Fund’s new 2023–2028 strategy aims to refocus efforts against HIV, TB, and malaria, while promoting universal health coverage.
Uganda’s ongoing TB challenges reflect this global struggle, underscoring the critical need for enhanced screening, timely diagnosis, effective treatment, and follow-up care to reverse recent setbacks and reduce the disease’s toll.
