New tuberculosis cases have fallen, but funding cuts threaten progress

The number of new tuberculosis (TB) cases worldwide fell last year for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, as diagnoses and treatments rebounded, a new analysis has found. The rate of new TB cases decreased by nearly 2 per cent, while deaths fell by 3 per cent in 2024, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which tracks TB across more than 180 countries. Despite this progress, the disease, caused by bacteria that attack the lungs and spread through the air, remains a leading global cause of death.

An estimated 10.7 million people developed TB and 1.23 million people died last year, compared to 10.8 million new illnesses and 1.25 million deaths in 2023. “Declines in the global burden of TB, along with progress in testing, treatment, social protection, and research, are all welcome news after years of setbacks, but progress is not victory,” said WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The fact that TB continues to claim over a million lives each year, despite being preventable and curable, is simply unconscionable,” he added.

It’s estimated that a quarter of the world’s population has been infected with TB bacteria, though most individuals do not develop symptoms initially. The bacteria can lie dormant in the body for years before becoming active and causing illness. TB is often referred to as a “social disease” due to its strong links to poverty, spreading easily in crowded environments. It also poses a greater risk to people with weakened immune systems and those suffering from malnutrition.

Last year, two-thirds of new TB cases were concentrated in just eight countries: India, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Bangladesh. However, the WHO has warned that anticipated cuts to global health programmes this year could severely undermine ongoing efforts to eradicate the disease. Studies indicate that these funding reductions from wealthy countries might lead to up to two million additional deaths from TB and 10 million new illnesses over the next decade.

Dr Tereza Kasaeva, who leads the WHO’s work on HIV, TB, hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), emphasized that the world is currently at a “defining moment in the fight against TB.” She urged for renewed political and financial commitments to “turn the tide and end this ancient killer once and for all,” highlighting the critical need for sustained global support.