WHO report highlights resurgence of tuberculosis

Approximately 8.2 million people were diagnosed with the infectious disease in 2023

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) newly published report has placed tuberculosis (TB) as the leading infectious disease killer in 2023, surpassing COVID-19.

Newly identified TB cases climbed to 8.2 million last year, with the illness disproportionately impacting people in 30 high-burden countries, marking the highest reported case numbers since WHO began monitoring cases in 1995.

The report reveals global milestones for reducing the TB burden are off track, and significant advancements are required to meet 2027 targets.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, commented: “The fact that TB still kills and sickens so many people is an outrage, when we have the tools to prevent it, detect it and treat it. WHO urges all countries to make good on the concrete commitments they have made to expand the use of those tools, and to end TB.”

Equivalent to only 26% of the global target, only $5.7bn of annual TB funding was available in 2023, reflecting the significant underfunding that remains a persistent challenge for TB care and prevention.

Furthermore, the report estimates that half of TB-affected households in low- and middle-income countries face catastrophic costs, exceeding 20% of their annual income, to access diagnosis and treatment.

Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global TB Programme, stated: “We are confronted with a multitude of formidable challenges: funding shortfalls and catastrophic financial burden on those affected, climate change, conflict, migration and displacement, pandemics, and drug-resistant TB, a significant driver of antimicrobial resistance. It is imperative that we unite across all sectors and stakeholders, to confront these pressing issues and ramp up our efforts.”

Moreover, many new TB cases stem from five key risk factors: undernutrition, HIV infection, alcohol use disorders, smoking (particularly among men) and diabetes. Addressing these challenges, along with critical factors like poverty and GDP per capita, demands coordinated multisectoral efforts.

Sustained financial investment is crucial for TB prevention and treatment, as WHO urges governments and donors to fulfil 2023 UN commitments and boost funding for new vaccine research to meet 2027 targets.