Every year, on March 24, World Tuberculosis Day is observed to emphasize the urgency of ending tuberculosis (TB), the world’s deadliest infectious disease, and to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social, and economic cost of the disease.
This year’s World Tuberculosis Day was observed under the theme “Yes, We Can End TB—Commit, Invest, Deliver,” and the World Health Organization (WHO) marked the event with renewed calls for action to end TB.
In connection with the day, the WHO announced that the African region has recorded the steepest decline globally in tuberculosis (TB) deaths since 2015, despite falling short of key milestones to significantly lower the burden of the disease and end its toll on health and lives.
According to the Organization’s Global TB Report 2024, deaths from TB fell by 42 percent between 2015 and 2023, while cases declined by 24 percent over the same period. The reductions were mainly due to increased efforts by countries to reinforce case detection and provision of treatment, thus averting deaths. About 1.9 million cases were detected in 2023 compared with 1.4 million in 2020. Over the same period, treatment coverage rose from 55 percent to 74 percent across the region.
The WHO End TB Strategy calls for countries to reduce TB deaths and cases by 75 percent and 50 percent, respectively, by 2025, compared with 2015 levels. So far, several African countries have made notable progress. South Africa achieved a 50 percent reduction in TB incidence between 2015 and 2023, becoming the first country in the region to surpass the 2025 milestone ahead of schedule. Mozambique, Tanzania, Togo, and Zambia have also already met the 2025 goal of a 75 percent reduction in TB deaths. Other countries, including Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Uganda, are close behind with mortality reductions of 66 percent or more.
At a sub-regional level, Eastern and Southern Africa has been the main driver of TB reduction, cutting incidence from 466 to 266 per 100,000 between 2000 and 2023. Progress has been slower in Central and West Africa, where TB incidence and mortality remain a concern. Despite the progress, several challenges still need to be overcome. Limited access to rapid diagnostics, which currently reach only 54 percent of TB patients, is one of the most pressing issues. While this marks a significant improvement from just 24 percent in 2015 –nearly doubling coverage in 10 years – access is insufficient to curb the spread of multidrug-resistant TB strains.
The burden of MDR-TB persists, with more than half of these cases undiagnosed and untreated in 2023.
TB also imposes a severe economic burden. For nearly 68 percent of TB-affected households in Africa, the cost of seeking treatment is catastrophic. Many families face high out-of-pocket medical expenses, loss of income, and inadequate social protection, hindering adherence and full recovery. Low funding continues to impede TB control efforts at national and regional levels. The African region requires 4.5 billion USD annually for comprehensive TB services, yet only USD 0.9 billion is currently available, leaving a 3.6-billion USD gap. Without urgent investment, life-saving interventions will remain out of reach for many.
WHO continues to support countries to reinforce TB control and contribute to global efforts against the disease. This includes working with countries to adopt rapid diagnosis and updated treatment guides in line with the UN High-Level Meeting Political Declaration on TB 2023. To meet the global targets, urgent action is required to close the diagnostic gap, increase funding and expand access to treatment and prevention.
On the other hand, TB remains a significant public health concern in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. According to the latest WHO data, the Region’s 22 countries and territories account for 8.7 percent of global TB cases. In 2023, there were an estimated 936,000 new TB cases and nearly 86,000 deaths. “Every 34 seconds, someone falls ill with tuberculosis, and every 6 minutes another life is lost. This is not acceptable. These deaths are avoidable. TB is a curable disease,” said WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region Hanan Balkhy (MD).
“In our region, treatment programs have a success rate of over 90 percent, but 3 in 10 cases are undetected and untreated. I urge Member States to take decisive action.” Accordingly, despite progress in reducing TB incidence and mortality rates, the Region faces significant challenges in controlling the disease. They include low case detection rates, particularly among vulnerable populations such as refugees and migrants, high treatment default rates which can lead to the development of drug-resistant TB, and limited access to TB services, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
In her statement on World TB Day, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development at the African Union Commission, Amb. Amma A. Twum-Amoah said that despite the progress, TB remains one of Africa’s deadliest diseases, disproportionately affecting women, youth and marginalized communities. Poverty, stigma and limited access to diagnosis and treatment, coupled with challenges like drug-resistant TB, fragile health systems and humanitarian crises hinder the efforts to meet global and continental TB targets. Thus, more efforts should be exerted to close gaps in diagnosis, treatment and prevention, she added.
Mentioning Africa’s Health Strategy (2016–2030) and the AU Roadmap to 2030, the Commissioner said, the AU and its member states remain committed to ensuring that no one is left behind in the fight against infectious diseases, through the Catalytic Framework to End AIDS, TB, and Malaria by 2030.
“Achieving our vision for a self-reliant and prosperous Africa, as outlined in AU Agenda 2063: ‘The Africa We Want’, requires strong political will, increased domestic financing and the integration of TB services into broader national health and social protection frameworks. Women, youth and underserved communities must be actively involved in shaping policies and interventions that reflect their realities and needs.”
Underscoring the importance for collective action, increased investments, and a renewed political commitment to ensuring no one is left behind in the fight against TB, the Commissioner also urged governments to prioritize social protection for TB-affected families, compensate individuals exposed to TB in public occupational settings and eliminate discriminatory policies in employment, education and healthcare.
The AU Commission remains resolute in translating our commitments into action, working alongside member states, partners and communities to achieve a future free from the burden of TB, Amb. Amma reaffirmed.
In sum, on World TB Day 2025, WHO is calling on governments, health professionals and communities to commit to strengthening political leadership to end TB through robust national strategies and invest in increasing domestic funding and international collaboration for TB control programs. In addition, delivering by scaling up WHO-recommended interventions, including early detection, diagnosis, preventive treatment and quality care is the other approach to curb TB.
BY TEWODROS KASSA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 29 MARCH 2025
