The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) has announced a US$50 million commitment to accelerate the rollout of innovative tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics, marking the Foundation’s first-ever investment in TB. Building on its experience in HIV diagnostic innovation, CIFF aims to improve access to life-saving technologies and promote integration across health systems and related disease areas. This new commitment adds to CIFF’s earlier US$150 million pledge to combat HIV transmission in 2025.
TB is closely linked with other health conditions, often occurring alongside malnutrition, HIV, and other immune-compromising diseases. Despite 7.4 million people receiving TB treatment in 2024, the disease still claims 1.3 million lives annually and remains the leading cause of death among people with HIV. Global targets to reduce TB deaths by 90% and incidence by 80% by 2030 are off track, underscoring the urgent need for faster and more accurate diagnostic solutions. Currently, less than half of TB patients receive molecular testing as their initial diagnosis, even though global commitments aim to reach 100% coverage by 2027.
Through this initiative, CIFF and the Global Fund will support countries in procuring new diagnostic platforms and tests, while providing technical assistance for implementation. National TB programs will lead these efforts, integrating them with HIV testing and treatment to inform a broader large-scale rollout in future grant cycles.
Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund, highlighted that these diagnostic innovations could revolutionize TB testing by enabling faster, more accurate, and cost-effective detection, ensuring patients are reached when and where they need care. Sir Chris Hohn, Founder and Chair of CIFF, emphasized the moral urgency of addressing TB, particularly among vulnerable populations, and called for increased donor and philanthropic engagement to save lives through improved detection.
CIFF’s investment targets the persistent gap in TB detection, with nearly three million people undiagnosed each year. Near point-of-care testing represents a critical breakthrough, bringing timely and accurate diagnostics closer to patients and communities. This approach not only addresses TB but also supports broader health system goals, advancing universal health coverage by making essential diagnostic services more accessible to everyone, everywhere.
