Tuberculosis has overtaken Covid-19 as the deadliest infectious disease in the world, according to a recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Globally, an estimated 8.2 million people were newly diagnosed with TB in 2023, the highest figure since WHO global TB tracking began in 1995. A notable increase from previous 7.5 million cases recorded in 2022.
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But what is the cause of this resurgence?
The WHO points to economic inequalities and the lack of budget to treat this disease in certain places in the world. “The fact that tuberculosis still kills and sickens so many people is a scandal, even though we have the tools to prevent, detect and treat it,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, as reported by the Pan American Health Organization.
The report shows that the disease disproportionately affects people in 30 countries with high TB burden: India (26%), Indonesia (10%), China (6.8%), Philippines (6.8%), .8%) and Pakistan (6.3%) alone account for 56% of the global TB burden.
Whereas in other countries, particularly on the American continent, if the number of tuberculosis cases also increases, the number of deaths decreases: this reduction is due to the increase in the number of people diagnosed and treated.
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Healthcare funding has further decreased
Global funding for TB prevention and care declined further in 2023 and remains well below targets. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which bear 98% of the TB burden, have faced significant funding shortages. Only US$5.7 billion (of the US$22 billion target annual funding) was available in 2023, just 26% of the global target.
Tuberculosis is curable in 85% of cases but kills nearly 50% of patients who do not receive treatment. In its report, the WHO calls for “urgent action” and reminds UN member states that they are committed to ending the epidemic by 2030. “WHO calls on all countries to keep their concrete commitments to expand the use of these tools and end tuberculosis” declared the WHO Director-General.
