Rwanda’s TB Death Rate Declines 95% Since 2000
Why this is here: Rwanda leverages community health workers, who account for over a quarter of detected cases, to raise awareness and monitor patients at home, contributing to the dramatic decrease in TB-related deaths.
Rwanda’s tuberculosis-related death rate dropped by 95.6 percent between 2000 and 2024. In 2000, 77 people per 100,000 died from TB. The rate fell to 3.4 deaths per 100,000 in 2024, according to the Global TB Report 2025.
The country reduced TB cases from 238 per 100,000 people in 2000 to 62 per 100,000 in 2024. Rwanda combats the disease through community health workers, who identify 27 percent of all TB cases. These workers also monitor patients receiving treatment at home.
Rwanda uses GeneXpert machines for quick diagnosis in hospitals and health centers. They also employ chest X-rays with artificial intelligence to screen high-risk groups.
All TB treatment is free. Despite progress, challenges remain with public awareness; a 2020 survey showed only 68 percent understood TB transmission and prevention.