…amid mounting HIV burden
Moorosi Tsiane
LESOTHO has recorded a major breakthrough in the fight against Tuberculosis (TB), cutting TB-related deaths by 33 percent as the government intensifies efforts to curb one of the country’s deadliest public health threats.
Newly appointed Minister of Health, ‘Mamokete Ntšekhe, announced the milestone during the launch of Lesotho’s TB Parliamentary Caucus at the National Assembly on Friday, describing the progress as a significant step toward achieving global targets to end TB by 2030.
But despite the gains, Ms Ntšekhe warned that TB continues to ravage communities across the country, fuelled by poverty, hunger, overcrowding and the country’s high HIV infection rate.
“Lesotho has made measurable progress towards attaining the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal and the End TB Strategy 2035 targets,” Ms Ntšekhe said.
“The country achieved a 33 percent reduction in TB mortality and a 30 percent reduction in TB incidence. However, these gains remained insufficient to meet the set targets, and there was a clear need to intensify efforts significantly.”
She said Lesotho remained among the 30 countries with the highest TB burden globally, ranking first in Africa and fourth in the world for TB and TB/HIV co-infections.
According to the 2025 Global TB Report, an estimated 13,000 Basotho contracted TB in 2024, yet nearly half of them remain undiagnosed and untreated.
The report shows that only 51 percent of TB cases were identified, leaving thousands unknowingly spreading the disease while going without treatment.
Ms Ntšekhe said the situation was even more alarming among patients living with HIV, with almost half of all TB patients co-infected with the virus.
“TB-related deaths in Lesotho currently stand at 187 per 100,000 people, with 69 percent of those who died also living with HIV.”
Ms Ntšekhe said TB was no longer just a health issue but a reflection of the harsh socio-economic realities faced by many Basotho.
“Tuberculosis is curable and preventable, yet it continues to thrive where there is poverty, overcrowding, malnutrition, stigma and limited access to quality services.
“If we are to end TB in Lesotho, we must confront these social determinants directly and decisively,” she said.
She further revealed that 19 percent of households affected by TB continue to suffer catastrophic healthcare costs despite the country’s public health interventions.
She also said children remained among the most overlooked victims of the disease, accounting for only five percent of detected TB cases — far below the recommended global target of between 10 and 15 percent.
“The country is also struggling to contain multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), with only 119 patients diagnosed and treated out of an estimated 420 infections recorded last year.”
Meanwhile, British parliamentarian and Global Tuberculosis Caucus Chairperson, Nick Herbert, challenged Lesotho lawmakers to take the lead in the war against TB, warning that the world is dangerously off track in eliminating the disease.
“The Sustainable Development Goals say TB will be beaten by 2030 — just four years from now. On the current trajectory, TB will not be beaten for another 100 years.
“There is no need for anyone to die from tuberculosis today. What is needed is political will, leadership and commitment of resources,” Mr Herbert warned.
He urged Members of Parliament to use their influence to demand accountability and stronger investment in TB programmes.
“We need parliamentarians to stand up for communities that do not have a voice themselves. Governments must be held accountable to ensure action is taken against this terrible disease,” he said.
Ministry of Health Director General of Health Services, Dr Llang Maama, also painted a grim picture of the country’s TB response, saying the programme remained critically underfunded while many patients failed to adhere to treatment because they simply did not have enough food to survive.