The geographical distribution of these cases reveals a noteworthy concentration in various regions across Rwanda. Kigali City, the capital, exhibited the highest prevalence, accounting for 43.6% of the total cases, followed by the Eastern Province at 20.5%, the Southern Province at 17.9%, the Northern Province at 12.8%, and the Western Province at 5.1%.
The report further illuminates that a sizeable number of 126,294 were Tuberculosis presumptive, marking a notable decrease of 28.4% in comparison to the previous fiscal year of 2020/2021, which saw 176,636 people exhibiting related symptoms. These symptoms encompass persistent cough lasting over two weeks, elevated fever, chest discomfort, weight loss, general fatigue, night sweats, hemoptysis (coughing up blood), and breathlessness.
Of the total individuals presenting symptoms in the 2021/2022 period, 11,996 were evaluated for their HIV status. Simultaneously, 113,624 individuals underwent testing upon their arrival at healthcare facilities for Tuberculosis diagnosis. The data from the report unveils that 12,505 individuals undergoing Tuberculosis testing were concurrently identified as HIV-positive.
In a broader global context, the World Health Organization (WHO) conveyed in a May report that Tuberculosis continues to affect populations across all countries and age groups. Notably, the organization emphasized the disease’s preventability and treatability.
However, a concerning aspect highlighted in the report is that only one out of every three Tuberculosis patients received proper treatment in 2021. Additionally, the WHO’s data indicates that an alarming 1.6 million people succumbed to the disease within the same year, with 187,000 of those cases linked to concurrent HIV infections.
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