Tuberculosis cases in Paraguay have grown from 5% to 22% in 20 years. Prison population doubled between 2010 and 2022, leading to overcrowding.
Prisoners are "condemned to have tuberculosis even if they are free," says epidemiologist Guillermo Sequera. "The Ministry of Health has to understand that prison is a public health problem," says Sequera, who calls for a comprehensive security policy for inmates. Paraguay is a country with a "moderate burden" of tuberculosis, with 43,000 cases per 100,000 people.