High population density blamed for Colombo’s TB spread
Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday attributed the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in Colombo to the city’s high population density, while noting that reported cases have been on a declining trend since 2023. Responding to an oral question raised by MP Mujibur Rahuman, in Parliament yesterday (23), Jayatissa said 968 TB cases were reported in Colombo […]
Colombo's high population density has been identified as a primary factor in the city's tuberculosis (TB) spread, according to Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa. In a recent parliamentary response to an inquiry by MP Mujibur Rahuman, Jayatissa reported that 968 TB cases were recorded in Colombo city in 2025, a decrease from 1,064 cases in 2024.
The number of cases in Colombo city dropped from 871 in 2019, to 736 in 2020, before rising to 796 in 2021. The cases then surged to 1,093 in 2022 and 1,130 in 2023, the peak recorded within the 2019–2025 timeframe, before falling again in the subsequent two years.
Jayatissa disclosed that 25% of the TB cases reported in the Colombo District originate within the limits of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC). In 2015, the Colombo District recorded 2,264 TB cases, which decreased to 2,156 in 2016, 2,051 in 2017, and 2,088 in 2018.
The Health Minister attributed the continued spread of the disease to some TB patients not seeking proper medical treatment. However, Jayatissa assured that the government is providing free medication and appropriate treatment to TB patients, along with mobile treatment services and X-ray examinations to curb the disease's progression. The minister highlighted that the continued decline in cases in Colombo city, especially the reduction in 2025, suggests a positive trend in efforts to control TB spread.
Written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
