The World Health Organization has released a new policy brief designed to help national tuberculosis programmes set clear priorities and allocate resources more effectively using evidence-based and people-centred approaches. The brief introduces a structured framework that promotes transparency, inclusion, data-driven decision-making and accountability, all of which are essential for equitable and impactful TB programme planning. It also highlights ways to manage funding uncertainties, such as improving efficiency, integrating TB services into primary health care systems and protecting the most critical life-saving interventions.
WHO stresses that priority setting is an ongoing process that guides resource allocation, strengthens programme efficiency and supports long-term planning amid competing health demands. This approach is especially vital as global financing for TB remains critically low. In 2024, investments reached only US$5.9 billion—far below the US$22 billion needed annually by 2027 to achieve global targets. Projected reductions in international donor funding from 2025 onward could result in severe consequences, including millions of additional TB cases and deaths over the next decade.
Despite progress in prevention and treatment, the global TB burden continues to be a major challenge, reinforcing the need for strategic prioritization. WHO has emphasized its commitment to supporting countries through peer-learning opportunities and the sharing of good practices to strengthen priority-setting processes in TB programme planning.
