Bulawayo to Open New TB Testing Lab at Khami Road Clinic

3 October 2025

By Emelda Jinya

The City of Bulawayo is set to open a new modern tuberculosis (TB) testing laboratory at Khami Road Clinic. This is part of a joint project between Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Pakistan to fight TB, which is one of the world’s deadliest diseases.

The lab will have new advanced machines that help doctors find TB faster and more accurately than older methods like chest X-rays. This will help patients start treatment earlier and reduce the spread of the disease.

The lab will also work with researchers from the Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI) in Zimbabwe and University College London to improve how TB is diagnosed and treated.

The new lab will support a study called the RADIO TB trial. The trial will test if shorter TB treatments work as well as the current six-month treatment. It will focus on patients who show signs of TB on X-rays but don’t have clear lab results.

The City of Bulawayo is working with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, BRTI, and University College London to carry out this trial. It will run for three years.

This lab is part of Zimbabwe’s plan to improve health services under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1). It is a big step forward in the fight against TB and will help save lives.