The World Health Organisation (WHO) says global tuberculosis (TB) cases are finally decreasing, marking the first significant decline since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
According to WHO’s latest report, the number of people falling ill with TB dropped by nearly 2% between 2023 and 2024, while global deaths fell by 3% within the same period. Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus attributed the progress to expanded testing and treatment efforts, as well as advancing research.
The report shows that by 2024, 54% of the global population had access to rapid TB testing—up from 48% in 2023—while treatment success rates reached 88%.
Despite the progress, the organisation warned that TB remains one of the most lethal infectious diseases worldwide, killing more than 1.2 million people and infecting an estimated 10.7 million in 2024.
Regional performance varied significantly. Between 2015 and 2024:
- The WHO African Region recorded a 28% reduction in incidence and a 46% drop in deaths.
- The European Region achieved a 39% fall in incidence and 49% decrease in deaths.
However, WHO noted that 87% of global TB cases in 2024 were concentrated in just 30 high-burden countries, many of which still suffer from weak social protection systems.
While acknowledging the improvements, the UN health agency warned that the gains are fragile due to funding gaps. Global TB financing has stagnated since 2020, with only $5.9 billion available in 2024—far below the $22 billion annual target set for 2027.
WHO cautioned that without increased investment, the world could see an additional two million deaths and 10 million new cases over the next decade.
