On World Tuberculosis (TB) Day 2025, observed on March 24, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an urgent call for action, warning that severe disruptions in TB services are endangering millions of lives. TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease, claiming over 1 million lives annually. Despite global efforts that have saved 79 million lives since 2000, the sudden cuts in global health funding and rising drug resistance are reversing decades of progress.
TB Funding Crisis: A Looming Global Threat
WHO reports that 27 high-burden countries are experiencing crippling breakdowns in TB prevention and treatment services. Key disruptions include:
✔️ Severe healthcare worker shortages, reducing access to essential care.
✔️ Delays in diagnosis and treatment due to disrupted laboratory services.
✔️ Collapse of data and surveillance systems, weakening disease tracking and response.
✔️ Deterioration of community outreach efforts, increasing the risk of TB transmission.
✔️ Failures in drug procurement and supply chains, jeopardizing patient outcomes.
Currently, only 26% of the required $22 billion annually is available for TB prevention and care. Meanwhile, TB research funding faces an alarming shortfall, with just one-fifth of the $5 billion needed annually allocated for vaccine and treatment advancements.
WHO’s Response: A Call for Commitment, Investment, and Action
Under the World TB Day 2025 theme, “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver,” WHO is rallying governments, donors, and global health leaders to take urgent action. In a joint statement with civil society organizations, WHO has outlined five critical priorities to prevent further disruptions:
- Address TB service breakdowns immediately, ensuring timely prevention and treatment.
- Secure sustainable domestic funding, guaranteeing continued access to care.
- Safeguard essential TB services, including diagnostics, treatment, and life-saving drugs.
- Strengthen cross-sector collaboration, fostering partnerships among civil society, NGOs, and policymakers.
- Enhance real-time monitoring, improving early detection and crisis response.
Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global TB Programme, stressed the importance of urgent investments, stating, “Every dollar spent on TB prevention and treatment yields an estimated $43 in economic returns. This is not just a moral obligation—it’s an economic necessity.”
New WHO Strategy: Integrating TB and Lung Health
As a long-term solution, WHO is promoting integrated TB and lung health care within primary healthcare systems. The new technical guidance focuses on:
✔️ Early detection and prevention of TB and related conditions.
✔️ Optimized patient management, ensuring continuous follow-up care.
✔️ Addressing risk factors such as overcrowding, undernutrition, smoking, and environmental pollution.
By tackling TB alongside other lung diseases and non-communicable diseases, WHO aims to create a sustainable and resilient health response.
Act Now: The Future of TB Response is at Stake
This World TB Day 2025, WHO urges governments, civil society, donors, and individuals to step up. Without immediate investment and commitment, millions of lives will be at risk, and decades of hard-won progress could be lost.
Join the movement. Share this message. Advocate for funding. Together, we can end TB!