Tuberculosis (TB) remained the world’s deadliest infectious disease in 2024, claiming an estimated 1.23 million lives, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The agency’s annual TB report, released Wednesday, warns that recent gains in controlling the disease are fragile and threatened by funding gaps and persistent risk factors.
The number of TB deaths declined by 3% compared to 2023, while global cases dropped by nearly 2% — marking the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that both metrics have improved. WHO officials say this signals a partial recovery in TB services after years of disruption.
“Now, TB cases and deaths are both declining for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global TB Programme. “Funding cuts and persistent drivers of the epidemic threaten to undo hard-won gains, but with political commitment, sustained investment, and global solidarity, we can turn the tide and end this ancient killer once and for all.”
In 2024, an estimated 10.7 million people fell ill with TB, including 5.8 million men, 3.7 million women, and 1.2 million children. The disease continues to disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries, with eight nations accounting for the majority of cases:
- India (25%)
- Indonesia (10%)
- Philippines (6.8%)
- China (6.5%)
- Pakistan (6.3%)
- Nigeria (4.8%)
- Democratic Republic of Congo (3.9%)
- Bangladesh (3.6%)
TB is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a bacterium that most often affects the lungs and spreads through the air when infected individuals cough, sneeze, or spit. Despite being preventable and curable, TB remains widespread due to delayed diagnoses, treatment gaps, and under-resourced health systems.
In 2024, 8.3 million people were newly diagnosed and accessed treatment — a record high. WHO attributed this to improved outreach and detection, enabling more people who fell ill to receive care. Treatment success rates also rose, climbing from 68% to 71%, reflecting better access to care and adherence support.
The epidemic is driven by five major risk factors: undernutrition, HIV infection, diabetes, smoking, and alcohol use disorders. These conditions weaken immunity and increase vulnerability to TB, especially in densely populated or impoverished areas.
TB is also the leading killer of people with HIV, with 150,000 deaths recorded among HIV-positive individuals last year. WHO emphasized the need for integrated care and early screening to reduce this toll.
A major concern is the global funding gap. In 2024, only 5.9 billion dollars was available for TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment — far below the 22 billion dollars annual target set for 2027. WHO warned that without increased investment, the world risks falling further behind on its TB elimination goals.
Despite these challenges, WHO estimates that timely TB treatment has saved 83 million lives since 2000, underscoring the life-saving potential of sustained global action. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that the world remains off track to meet the 2030 End TB Strategy goals. “We must not let complacency undo the hard-won gains,” he said.
