The TB incidence has fallen from 306 per 100,000 population in 2015 to 208 per 100,000 in 2021, Indicates 32% reduction of TB Incidence rate and the number of deaths due to TB both in HIV positive and negative have been reduced by 55% from 58,000 in 2015 to 25,800 deaths in 2021 This makes Tanzania being among the three TB high burden countries which reached or passed the first milestones of the End TB strategy and six high TB burden countries that had reached or passed the first milestone of a 35% reduction in TB deaths compared with 2015
A total of 87,415 tuberculosis cases all forms were notified in 2021 compared to 85,597 in 2020. This represented an increase of 1,818 cases (or 2.1%) compared to 2020. The number of new and relapse cases (Incident cases) was 86,701 just 2.3% increase compared as to the year 2020. The proportion of previous treated TB cases declined by 8.2% compared to 2020 data.
Tuberculosis Notifications by Region
As in the previous years, most of the TB cases were notified from about one third of the regions in the country. Regions with large urban settings, mining and fishing economic activities were were among the 11 regions contributed 63% of all TB cases notified. The figure 2 below shows the regional TB notification percentage contribution, the data shows that 11 regions notified more than two third of all the TB cases in the country in 2021 with Dar es Salaam alone contributing 17%.
Figure1: shows the percentage notification change by regions for years 2020 and 2021
The graph above, partly illustrates the valuable contribution of introducing the USAID Uhuru project in the sourthern highlands regions. This picture, demonstrated the need for increased efforts to reach more people. The decrease noticed in more than 10 regions require a close eye to look at the factors contributing to such a trend.
Figure 2: TB cases notification as percent contribution by region in 2021
The proportional contributions from Dar es Salaam continue to decline as case finding activities are uniformly spreading around the country with emphasis on remotely placed and most at risk populations.
Tuberculosis Notification Rate
Figure 3 below shows TB cases notification rate of tuberculosis, new and relapse notified in 2020 and 2021 by regions. Although the absolute number of cases has increased, the notification rate of all regions except four regions has declined including the national that decreased to 146/100,000 from 148/100,000 per population in 2020. Dar es Salaam region had the highest TB notification rates in the country 265/100,000 population followed by Tanga at 245/100,000. Kigoma and Rukwa regions, Pemba and Unguja in Zanzibar have the lowest notification rates (all forms) of below 50/100,000 population.
Figure 3: TB cases notification rate, new and relapse by regions: 2020 and 2021
The observed progressive decline in notification rates across the regions can probably be explained by the existing unreached cases gap and a need of increasing more efforts faster than what is currently put in place.
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Figure 4: TB cases notification by age group, number |
Figure 5: TB cases notification rate by age group |
The figures 4 and 5 show the significant proportion of notified TB cases are the adult and elderly male sub-populations. An increased attention is required to address the TB disease prevalent in men and elderly.
Figure 6: Trend of TB cases notification rate: 2015 to 2021
