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Rabat – Morocco’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection has revealed that 53% of new tuberculosis (TB) cases recorded in 2025 involve forms of the disease that affect parts of the body outside the lungs. The announcement comes as the country marks World Tuberculosis Day 2026.
The ministry said this year’s theme, “Tuberculosis Goes Beyond the Lungs: Let’s Raise Awareness of Extrapulmonary Forms,” aims to draw attention to cases that are often harder to detect. The statement stressed the importance of improving early diagnosis and increasing vigilance among healthcare professionals to ensure patients receive proper treatment.
Morocco will continue to strengthen efforts to detect and treat all forms of tuberculosis, the ministry pledged, encouraging people to seek medical care early if they experience symptoms. It also urged healthcare workers to better identify extrapulmonary TB, which remains less known despite its growing share of cases nationwide.
The ministry will host an online national scientific conference on March 26 as part of this effort, bringing together health officials, medical experts, NGOs, and UN representatives. The event will focus on Morocco’s TB situation, new developments in diagnosis and treatment, and ways to improve expertise in managing extrapulmonary cases.
A public health priority
Fighting tuberculosis remains a public health priority in Morocco. The country’s national strategic plan for 2024-2030 aims to reduce TB deaths by 60% and cut infection rates by 35% by 2030. The plan focuses on early detection, improving treatment success rates, expanding preventive care, and strengthening coordination across sectors.
The ministry also reaffirmed that TB diagnosis and treatment are provided free of charge in public health facilities. It continues to work on improving access to testing, strengthening healthcare workers’ skills, and building partnerships with national and international organizations.
Tuberculosis is both preventable and curable if detected early and treated properly, the ministry noted. It called on healthcare professionals, civil society, media, and the public to stay engaged in prevention, early detection, and treatment efforts to reduce the spread of the disease.
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that usually attack the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes, bones, or kidneys. It spreads through the air when a person with active TB coughs or sneezes.
Common symptoms of pulmonary TB include a persistent cough, chest pain, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. Extrapulmonary TB, however, may show different symptoms depending on the affected organ, which makes it more difficult to diagnose.
Though it is a serious illness, tuberculosis can be cured with proper medical treatment, which usually involves taking antibiotics for several months. Early diagnosis and completing the full course of treatment are essential to prevent complications and stop the disease from spreading.
