ABUJA, Nigeria – Tuberculosis continues to claim thousands of lives across Africa despite progress, the World Health Organization warns, urging urgent action to end the disease.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, says the disease kills one person every 83 seconds in the region, with 378,000 deaths and 2.7 million infections recorded in 2024.
“Every 83 seconds, tuberculosis claims a life in the WHO African Region,” Janabi says.
The warning comes ahead of World Tuberculosis Day on March 24, with the theme emphasising country-led and community-driven action.
Although TB deaths have dropped by 46 percent and infections by 28 percent since 2015, major gaps remain. Around 600,000 people go undiagnosed or untreated annually.
Janabi highlights innovations such as shorter oral treatment regimens, including the BPaLM therapy, which shows success rates above 85 percent.
However, funding challenges persist, with a $3.6 billion gap undermining response efforts.
“We must scale up investments and strengthen health systems,” he says.
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