WHO urges action to end Tuberculosis by 2030

Manila

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for urgent and decisive action to end tuberculosis (TB) by 2030, particularly in the Western Pacific region, which accounts for nearly one in five TB cases globally.

On World TB Day, observed annually on March 24, the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific emphasized the urgency of addressing TB, which continues to impact millions of people. In 2023, there were an estimated 1.9 million new cases and 95,000 deaths due to TB in the region. WHO regional director Saia Ma'u Piukala stressed that every missed case represents a lost opportunity to save a life, urging countries to turn commitments into action to ensure timely and high-quality care for those at risk.

TB, caused by bacteria primarily affecting the lungs, is preventable and curable with antibiotics. However, it remains the world’s leading infectious killer, with 10 million people falling ill each year. Despite being treatable, TB causes 1.5 million deaths annually. It is also the leading cause of death among people with HIV and contributes to antimicrobial resistance.

The disease is particularly prevalent in low and middle-income countries, with eight nations—Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, and South Africa—accounting for half of all TB cases. While about a quarter of the global population carries TB bacteria, most do not develop the disease, and those who are not ill cannot spread it.