The battle against Tuberculosis (TB) is far from over, despite significant progress in diagnosis, treatment, and innovation. The latest WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2025 reveals a grim reality: TB remains a leading infectious killer, claiming over 1.2 million lives and affecting 10.7 million people worldwide in 2024. This is despite the fact that TB is preventable and curable.
While the global burden of TB has decreased by 2% between 2023 and 2024, and deaths have fallen by 3%, these achievements are fragile. The report highlights that TB still claims over a million lives annually, a statistic that is deeply concerning. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, emphasizes the need for continued efforts, stating, 'WHO is working with countries to build on the progress they have made and accelerate the path to ending TB by 2030.'
Global Progress and Success Stories:
- The global rate of TB cases declined by nearly 2% between 2023 and 2024, and deaths decreased by 3%, indicating a recovery of essential health services post-COVID-19.
- Regions like Africa and Europe have made significant strides. The African Region achieved a 28% reduction in TB incidence and a 46% decrease in deaths, while the European Region saw a 39% drop in incidence and a 49% reduction in deaths.
- Over 100 countries met the 20% reduction target in TB incidence rates, and 65 countries achieved a 35% or more reduction in TB-related deaths, marking significant milestones in the WHO End TB Strategy.
Major Advances in TB Diagnosis and Treatment:
- Timely treatment has saved an estimated 83 million lives since 2000.
- In 2024, 8.3 million people were diagnosed with TB and received treatment, covering about 78% of new cases.
- Rapid testing coverage increased to 54%, and treatment success rates for drug-susceptible TB remained high at 88%.
- The number of drug-resistant TB cases is decreasing, with over 164,000 people receiving treatment in 2024, and a treatment success rate of 71%.
- 5.3 million people at high risk received preventive treatment in 2024, an increase from 4.7 million in 2023.
Social Protection and Multisectoral Action:
- The WHO, for the first time, reported on progress towards social protection targets, using data from the International Labour Organization (ILO).
- Social protection coverage varies widely, ranging from 3.1% in Uganda to 94% in Mongolia, with 19 countries reporting coverage below 50%.
Funding Gaps and Research Challenges:
- Global funding for TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment has stagnated at US$5.9 billion in 2024, falling short of the US$22 billion annual target by 2027.
- Cuts to international donor funding from 2025 onward could lead to severe consequences, with modeling studies predicting up to 2 million additional deaths and 10 million new TB cases between 2025 and 2035.
- Global TB research funding is inadequate, reaching only US$1.2 billion in 2023 (24% of the target).
- As of August 2025, 63 diagnostic tests and 29 drugs are in development, with 18 vaccine candidates in clinical trials.
The Way Forward:
- Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, Director of the WHO Department for HIV, TB, Hepatitis, and STIs, emphasizes the need for sustained political commitment, increased domestic investment, and intensified research to accelerate progress.
- The WHO calls for global solidarity and action to end this ancient killer, highlighting the importance of addressing funding gaps and persistent drivers of the epidemic.
