As the world marks World TB Day, health experts caution that tuberculosis (TB) remains the deadliest infectious disease globally, claiming 1.25 million lives in 2023 alone.
Despite significant strides in controlling TB, experts warn that without sustained funding and strong political commitment, efforts to combat the disease could stall particularly in the face of rising drug-resistant strains.
Speaking on Monday, the Executive Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands, stressed the urgency of action. “Now is the moment to redouble our commitment to defeat TB to save millions of lives and safeguard our collective future,” he urged.
Though often described as a “pandemic of the poor”, disproportionately affecting marginalized groups like people living with HIV, refugees, and prisoners, Sands warned that TB is a threat to everyone. Without intervention, the disease could spread beyond vulnerable populations, particularly as drug-resistant TB cases rise.
In 2023, an estimated 400,000 people developed drug-resistant TB, a deadlier and harder-to-treat form of the disease. With treatment remaining costly and complex, only 40% of patients received proper care leaving many without lifesaving intervention. Sands cautioned that failing to control TB not only endangers affected individuals but also heightens the global risk of untreatable strains emerging.
Funding gaps pose a major challenge, particularly in high-burden countries, where limited resources threaten TB control efforts. “What we need is political will and money,” Sands emphasized, noting that investing in TB control yields economic benefits, as the disease disproportionately affects working-age individuals, leading to lost productivity and soaring healthcare costs.
Despite these challenges, there is hope. Global efforts have helped reduce treatment costs, new diagnostic and preventive tools are emerging, and more people are receiving successful treatment than ever before. The key challenge now is to maintain momentum before TB becomes an even greater threat to global health security.
