Tuberculosis (TB) is back in the global spotlight as the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that years of progress in fighting this deadly disease lost due to severe funding shortages and unequal access to care.
TB deaths decline in 2024, As per WHO
In its Global Tuberculosis Report 2025, released today, WHO states that TB continues to kill over 1.2 million people and infect an estimated 10.7 million others each year, even though it is both preventable and curable. The report stresses that, despite progress in diagnosis, treatment, and new ideas, ongoing financial issues and unequal access to health services could undo many hard-earned global achievements.
“Declines in the global burden of TB and progress in testing, treatment, social support, and research are all welcome news after years of setbacks, but progress is not victory,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “The fact that TB continues to claim over a million lives each year, despite being preventable and curable, is simply unacceptable.”
Health reports show steady report
The report highlights that from 2023 to 2024, global TB cases fell by nearly 2 % and deaths declined by 3 %, indicating a steady recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact. The WHO African Region saw a 28 percent drop in TB incidence and a 46 % reduction in deaths between 2015 and 2024, while the European Region experienced even greater improvement.
However, 87 % of new TB cases in 2024 concentrated in just 30 countries. India, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Bangladesh accounted for more than two-thirds of the global burden.
Read also: Adani Group Stocks Rise after SEBI Clean Chit In Hindenburg Case