outline
announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) 2025 Global Tuberculosis ReportIt has been found that tuberculosis (TB) continues to be one of the leading infectious causes of death worldwide. Last year alone, the disease killed more than 1.2 million people and affected about 10.7 million people. Although progress has been made in areas such as diagnosis, treatment and innovation, gaps in funding and unequal access to treatment risks have undermined the progress of the global effort to end tuberculosis.
key facts
Global developments and success stories
- Between 2023 and 2024, the proportion of people with tuberculosis globally fell by almost 2%, while deaths from tuberculosis fell by 3%. The decline signals the continued recovery of essential health services following disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Some regions and countries are making continued progress, demonstrating that strong political will and investment are addressing this ancient disease. From 2015 to 2024, the WHO African Region saw a 28% reduction in TB incidence (the number of people with TB per 100,000 people per year) and a 46% reduction in deaths. In Europe, the decline was even greater, with cases falling by 39% and deaths by 49%.
- During the same period, more than 100 countries experienced at least a 20% reduction in TB incidence, and 65 countries experienced a 35% or more reduction in TB-related deaths. These countries have achieved the first milestone of the WHO Tuberculosis Elimination Strategy.
- But ending tuberculosis globally requires accelerated progress in countries where the burden is greatest. In 2024, 87% of the world’s tuberculosis cases were concentrated in 30 countries. Among them, eight countries accounted for 67% of the world total: India (25%), Indonesia (10%), Philippines (6.8%), China (6.5%), Pakistan (6.3%), Nigeria (4.8%), Democratic Republic of Congo (3.9%), and Bangladesh (3.6%).
Major advances in tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment
Timely treatment for tuberculosis has saved approximately 83 million lives since 2000. Progress continued in tuberculosis diagnosis, prevention and treatment from 2023 to 2024, reflecting the impact of the country’s ongoing efforts and innovations. Key achievements include:
- In 2024, 8.3 million people were newly diagnosed and treated for tuberculosis. This represents approximately 78% of people with tuberculosis in a given year.
- Coverage of rapid tests for tuberculosis diagnosis increased from 48% in 2023 to 54% in 2024.
- Treatment for drug-susceptible tuberculosis was highly effective, with a success rate of 88%.
- The number of drug-resistant tuberculosis cases is decreasing every year, and by 2024, the number of people receiving treatment has exceeded 164,000. The latest data shows that the treatment success rate has improved to 71% from 68% the previous year.
- In 2024, 5.3 million people at high risk for tuberculosis received preventive treatment. This is an increase from 4.7 million in 2023.
Key to social protection and multi-sectoral action to address the causes of the pandemic
Using data compiled by the International Labor Organization (ILO), WHO reports for the first time on progress towards achieving the social protection goals established at the Second United Nations High-Level Conference on Tuberculosis in 2023. Among 30 countries with a high TB burden, social coverage remains highly unequal, ranging from 3.1% in Uganda to 94% in Mongolia. In particular, 19 countries reported coverage rates below 50%.
The report also highlights data on key risk factors for infectious diseases, including undernutrition, HIV infection, diabetes, smoking and alcohol consumption. Tackling these drivers, along with structural determinants such as poverty, requires coordinated, multi-sectoral action.
Funding gap puts progress and research at risk
Despite many achievements, global progress remains far from achieving the goals of the Tuberculosis Eradication Strategy. The biggest obstacle is global funding for TB, which has stagnated since 2020. In 2024, only $5.9 billion will be available for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. This is just over a quarter of the $22 billion annual target set for 2027.
Cuts in international donor funding from 2025 pose serious problems. Modeling studies have already warned that long-term cuts to international donor funding could lead to up to 2 million additional deaths and 10 million more people developing tuberculosis between 2025 and 2035.
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