The Western Cape is ramping up tuberculosis testing, with 84% of the roughly 17 100 patients who started TB treatment between April and August 2026 beginning treatment within seven days of diagnosis.

Provincial Minister of Health and Wellness Mireille Wenger said the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness is focused on finding TB earlier and ensuring that people diagnosed with the disease are promptly linked to treatment and support.

The department recorded its highest-ever monthly TB testing figure in March 2026, when more than 50 000 people were tested in a single month. In the first five months of the 2026/27 financial year alone, the province conducted more than 205 600 TB tests – already almost 70% of the 297 071 tests conducted during the whole of 2023.

Active detection

Wenger said TB is preventable, treatable and curable, but not every person with active TB experiences symptoms. “This means cases can go undetected and transmission can continue within households and communities,” she said. “That is why we must actively detect TB earlier, test those at greatest risk, and support people from diagnosis through to successful completion of treatment. Every patient deserves the best possible chance to recover, remain well and protect those around them.”

Historically, TB testing has been largely symptom-driven, which can miss people with active TB who have few or no symptoms. The department is strengthening Targeted Universal Testing for Tuberculosis, known as TUTT, which focuses on testing people at greater risk, including people living with HIV and those who have been exposed to TB.

This work is being supported through facility-based screening as well as community and household testing and tracing led by community health workers, helping to identify people who may not otherwise reach a health facility for testing.

Tracking treatment

The department is also using its TB Treatment Action List, an electronic tracking system, to help clinical teams identify and follow up with patients who have not started treatment or who may have stopped prematurely.

Wenger said government cannot end TB alone. “We need communities to encourage people to test, particularly after exposure to TB, and to challenge the stigma that can stop people from seeking care. If you have symptoms or have been in close contact with someone with TB, please seek care as soon as possible,” she said. “TB is treatable and curable. We need communities to ensure that people feel safe to test, safe to speak openly, and supported to stay on treatment. No one should have to face TB alone.”

Anyone who has been diagnosed with TB, including a person who has been away from care for some time, is encouraged to return to their nearest public health facility.