RNS: Tuberculosis (TB) has overtaken COVID-19 as the leading infectious disease killer in 2023, according to a new report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday.
The report indicates that approximately 8.2 million new TB cases were diagnosed this year, marking the highest figure recorded since the WHO began tracking global TB statistics in 1995. This is an increase from 7.5 million cases reported in 2022.
Despite a decrease in TB-related deaths—from 1.32 million in 2022 to 1.25 million in 2023—the overall incidence of the disease remains troubling, with an estimated 10.8 million people falling ill this year. The report underscores persistent challenges in combating TB, including significant funding shortages.
The burden of TB is especially heavy in 30 high-burden countries, with India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, and Pakistan accounting for 56% of global cases. The demographic breakdown of those affected shows that 55% of TB patients are men, 33% are women, and 12% are children and adolescents.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concern over the ongoing toll of TB, stating, “The fact that TB still kills and sickens so many people is an outrage, when we have the tools to prevent it, detect it, and treat it.” He urged nations to fulfill their commitments to enhance TB management and eradication efforts.
The report also noted progress in narrowing the gap between estimated and reported TB cases, which decreased to 2.7 million in 2023 from around 4 million during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. This improvement is attributed to global efforts to restore TB services disrupted by the pandemic.
However, multidrug-resistant TB remains a critical public health challenge, with only 44% of the estimated 400,000 cases diagnosed and treated in 2023. While the treatment success rate for these cases has risen to 68%, funding for TB prevention and care has continued to decline, with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) facing significant financial barriers.
In 2023, only $5.7 billion of the needed $22 billion in annual funding for TB was secured, amounting to just 26% of the target. The WHO has called for increased investment in TB research and treatment, highlighting that current funding levels are insufficient to develop new diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines.
The report also sheds light on the socioeconomic factors driving the TB epidemic, revealing that half of TB-affected households face catastrophic costs exceeding 20% of their annual income to access necessary care. Key risk factors contributing to the rise in TB cases include undernutrition, HIV infection, and lifestyle issues such as smoking and alcohol use.
Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Programme, emphasized the need for a coordinated approach to tackle the multifaceted challenges posed by TB, including funding shortages, climate change, and drug resistance. The WHO has called on governments, global partners, and donors to translate commitments made during the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on TB into actionable solutions, particularly in the realm of research and vaccine development.
As global milestones for reducing the TB burden remain off-track, the urgency to address this growing public health crisis has never been greater.
