As World Tuberculosis (TB) Day approaches on March 24, the World Health Organization (WHO) is sounding the alarm over severe disruptions in global TB care due to sharp declines in funding. TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease, claiming over 1 million lives annually, and these disruptions are putting millions more at risk.
The WHO warns that funding cuts, exacerbated by rising drug resistance, conflicts, and political instability, are undoing two decades of progress in TB control. As WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pointed out, “The huge gains the world has made against TB are now at risk as cuts to funding start to disrupt access to services for prevention, screening, and treatment.”
Despite the progress made—saving an estimated 79 million lives since 2000—the situation has worsened. WHO reports that 27 high-burden countries are facing crippling breakdowns in TB response, leading to severe service disruptions, including shortages of healthcare workers, diagnostic delays, and the collapse of surveillance systems. Countries across Africa, South-East Asia, and the Western Pacific are feeling the heaviest impacts.
The situation is dire, with only 26% of the $22 billion needed annually for TB care available in 2023, and research funding for TB vaccines and treatments falling far short of targets.
The Urgent Call to Action
In light of the growing crisis, WHO has joined forces with the Civil Society Task Force on Tuberculosis, issuing a joint statement that outlines five critical priorities:
- Immediate action to address TB service disruptions on a global scale.
- Sustainable domestic funding to ensure continuous, equitable TB care.
- Preservation of essential services, including diagnostics and treatment.
- National collaborations to strengthen alliances with civil society and donors.
- Enhanced monitoring to quickly identify service interruptions.
Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global Programme on TB, emphasized that investing in TB control is not just a health imperative but an economic necessity, with every dollar spent on TB prevention and treatment yielding $43 in economic returns.
New Guidance for Integrated Care
In response to the growing crisis, WHO has also released new technical guidance aimed at integrating TB and lung health into primary healthcare systems, to make the response more sustainable. The guidelines stress the importance of early TB detection, optimizing care at first contact, and addressing shared risk factors such as under-nutrition, pollution, and tobacco use.
A Call for Collective Responsibility
WHO’s message on World TB Day is clear: global action is needed. Governments, donors, and healthcare systems must step up their efforts to protect TB services, prevent further disruption, and sustain the fight against one of the deadliest diseases in history. Without concerted action, decades of progress could be lost, putting millions of lives at risk.
For more information on World Tuberculosis Day and the WHO’s efforts to combat TB, visit WHO’s official website.
