In a recent statement, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), emphasized the need for nations to enhance their strategies for tuberculosis (TB) prevention, detection, and treatment in the fight to eradicate the disease permanently.
Despite a modest decline in TB-related fatalities—from 1.32 million in 2022—the disease continues to spread swiftly in regions plagued by high levels of undernutrition, diabetes, smoking, and HIV. In 2023, it was reported that 56% of the global TB burden is concentrated in high-burden countries, including Pakistan.
Compounding the challenges of combating TB is the rise of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), which does not respond to standard treatment regimens. In 2023, only 44% of cases of MDR/RR-TB were diagnosed and treated, and the treatment success rate stood at 68%. This highlights the significant hurdles that health systems face in managing this more resistant form of TB.
Financial constraints remain a significant barrier to effective TB control. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) require an estimated $22 billion for comprehensive TB management in 2023 but only managed to secure $5.7 billion—approximately 26% of the necessary funds. The WHO report also reveals that many families affected by TB spend over 20% of their annual income on treatment.
Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, who heads the WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Programme, has called for immediate and collaborative action across various sectors, highlighting that “funding gaps, financial strain, conflict, climate change, and drug resistance are hindering progress in TB control.”
The WHO’s emphasis on advancing TB vaccine research underscores the urgency of the situation, as only 20% of the targeted $5 billion for TB research was raised in 2022. The WHO’s TB Vaccine Accelerator Council is actively working to propel this initiative forward.
Moreover, the organization is urging decisive action to fulfill commitments made during the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on TB, encouraging governments and international partners to transform promises into tangible TB control strategies.
Dr. Ghebreyesus reiterated the importance of swift and coordinated actions to achieve global TB reduction targets, ensuring that care is accessible to those most affected by the disease.
