Cases are on a downward trajectory for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
But a new report reveals that while progress has been made in the global fight against the disease, funding gaps threaten hard-won gains.
Funding gap threatens progress
“The decline in the global burden of TB, and advances in testing, treatment, social protection and research, are all good news WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “After years of setbacks, progress is not victory.”
“The fact that tuberculosis continues to claim the lives of more than a million people every year, despite being preventable and treatable, is unconscionable.“.
The World Health Organization says global funding for TB has been stagnant since 2020, with just $5.9 billion available in 2024 – far short of the annual target of $22 billion for 2027 – raising concerns that… The cuts could cause up to 2 million additional deaths and 10 million infections in the next decade.
Global decline
Between 2023 and 2024, the global rate of people developing TB fell by about 2%, while deaths fell by 3%.
“The number of people being tested and treated is increasing, and research is progressing,” Dr Tedros said.
As of last year, More than half of the population worldwide is undergoing rapid testingby 54 percent compared to 48 percent in 2023. In addition, the treatment saw a success rate of 88 percent, according to the report.
Some areas have been more successful than others in reducing the spread of tuberculosis.
Between 2015 and 2024, World Health Organization African region It was able to reduce the inappropriate rate by 28 percent and deaths from the disease decreased by 46 percent.
the European region It saw a 39 percent reduction in the infection rate and a 49 percent reduction in deaths.
However, in 2024, 87 percent of the global number of people infected with TB would be TB Concentrated in 30 countriesThe report says, social protection remains highly unequal.
