Tuberculosis kills over 1.2M yearly as global funding falters, WHO warns

GENEVA

Tuberculosis (TB) remains "one of the world's deadliest infectious killers," claiming more than 1.2 million lives and affecting an estimated 10.7 million people last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday.

According to the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2025, while global cases and deaths have continued to decline, stagnant funding and unequal access to care threaten to undo years of progress.

"Declines in the global burden of TB, and progress in testing, treatment, social protection and research are all welcome news after years of setbacks, but progress is not victory," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in the report. "The fact that TB continues to claim over a million lives each year, despite being preventable and curable, is simply unconscionable."

Between 2023 and 2024, TB infections dropped by nearly 2% while deaths fell by 3%, reflecting the recovery of essential health services after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The African region achieved a 28% fall in TB incidence and a 46% reduction in deaths since 2015, while the European region saw even greater declines with a 39% drop in incidence and a 49% reduction in deaths.

During the same period, the report said, over 100 countries achieved at least a 20% reduction in TB incidence rates, and 65 countries achieved reductions of 35% or more in TB-related deaths.

Yet, 87% of new TB cases remain concentrated in 30 countries in 2024 – eight of which, including India, Indonesia, and the Philippines, account for more than two-thirds of global cases, the report said.

Cuts to aid could kill millions

In 2024, the report found that 8.3 million people were newly diagnosed with TB and accessed treatment, representing about 78% of the people who fell ill with the disease during that year. The coverage of rapid testing for TB diagnosis rose from 48% in 2023 to 54% in 2024.

According to the report, funding remains the biggest hurdle. WHO stated that just $5.9 billion was available for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in 2024, which is barely a quarter of the $22 billion annual target set for 2027.

Long-term cuts to international aid could lead to 2 million additional deaths and 10 million new infections by 2035, the modelling suggested.

"We are at a defining moment in the fight against TB," said Tereza Kasaeva, the director of WHO's Department for HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs. "Funding cuts and persistent drivers of the epidemic threaten to undo hard-won gains, but with political commitment and global solidarity, we can turn the tide and end this ancient killer once and for all."

The WHO called for sustained political commitment, increased domestic investment, and intensified research to accelerate progress.