For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, global tuberculosis (TB) cases are showing a downward trend. The latest report highlights important progress in reducing the disease’s burden, but also warns that these gains are at risk due to severe funding shortfalls that could reverse years of hard-won progress.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), while the number of TB cases and deaths is declining, funding for global TB programs has stagnated at $5.9 billion in 2024—far below the $22 billion annual target set for 2027. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned that insufficient funding could lead to up to two million additional deaths and 10 million new cases in the coming decade, calling the continued loss of over a million lives annually to a preventable and curable disease “unconscionable.”
Between 2023 and 2024, the global rate of TB infections fell by nearly two percent, while TB-related deaths declined by three percent. The report notes encouraging advances in diagnosis and treatment: over half of the global population now has access to rapid testing—an increase from 48 to 54 percent—and treatment success rates have reached 88 percent.
Regional progress has varied, with notable achievements in the WHO African and European regions. Between 2015 and 2024, the African Region reduced TB incidence by 28 percent and deaths by 46 percent, while the European Region saw a 39 percent decline in new cases and a 49 percent reduction in mortality.
Despite this global progress, the report emphasizes that TB remains heavily concentrated in 30 countries, which account for 87 percent of all new cases. In these nations, inequality in access to health care and social protection continues to hinder efforts to eliminate the disease. WHO stresses that sustained investment and equitable health support are crucial to prevent a resurgence and secure long-term progress in the fight against TB.
