On World Tuberculosis Day 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Western Pacific Region called for faster, country-led action to transform tuberculosis care, decentralize services, and expand innovation in order to end one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the region and globally. Under the theme “Yes! We can End TB!”, WHO stressed that ending TB is achievable if countries act urgently to strengthen primary health care, widen access to rapid diagnostic tools, and protect the progress already made in TB control.
The article highlights the scale of the challenge in the Western Pacific Region, where an estimated 2.9 million people were affected by TB in 2024. Countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, and China remain among the world’s top five high-burden nations. At the same time, WHO notes that recent progress shows real improvement is possible, particularly through greater access to WHO-recommended rapid diagnostics, increased use of shorter all-oral treatment regimens for drug-resistant TB, and expanded preventive treatment for people at high risk of infection.
WHO emphasized that bringing TB services closer to communities is essential for improving outcomes. Integrating TB care into primary health-care systems can help detect cases earlier, reduce treatment delays, and limit transmission. The organization also underscored the importance of delivering stigma-free, people-centred care so that vulnerable populations are not left behind. In particular, WHO urged countries to accelerate the rollout of near-point-of-care molecular tests that can detect TB, including drug-resistant TB, more quickly and accurately.
Despite the progress, WHO warned that several challenges continue to threaten TB services across the region. These include stagnant funding, ongoing risk factors such as smoking, undernutrition, alcohol use, and diabetes, as well as competing health priorities that can weaken attention to TB control. According to WHO, these pressures risk reversing hard-won gains unless governments and partners act decisively to maintain and strengthen essential services.
The article concludes by stressing that ending TB is both a political and economic priority. WHO pointed to evidence showing that every dollar invested in TB can generate up to US$43 in health and economic returns, making sustained domestic investment critical for protecting public health and regional health security. WHO called on governments, health workers, civil society, and communities to maintain strong political commitment, support frontline workers, fight stigma, and ensure TB services remain accessible and resilient, reinforcing the message that ending TB is possible if action is taken now.
