TB's Resurgence: Unmasking a Global Health Crisis

The World Health Organisation reports over 8 million tuberculosis cases last year, highlighting TB's resurgence as a leading infectious disease killer. More deaths occurred compared to HIV, particularly in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. Advocacy groups urge access to affordable TB testing for broader diagnosis and treatment.

Last year, more than 8 million people were diagnosed with tuberculosis, making it the highest tally since the World Health Organisation started keeping records, according to a report released Tuesday.

With approximately 1.25 million deaths attributed to TB, the disease has likely regained its status as the world's leading infectious disease killer, having being overshadowed by COVID-19 during the pandemic. These deaths nearly double the number caused by HIV in 2023. The WHO emphasized that TB remains predominant in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Western Pacific, with India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, and Pakistan accounting for over half of the global cases. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the situation as an outrage, citing the availability of preventive and treatment tools for TB.

Despite a global decline in TB deaths and stabilizing infection numbers, WHO reported that less than half of the estimated 400,000 drug-resistant TB cases last year were diagnosed and treated. Advocacy groups, including Doctors Without Borders, have criticized the cost of TB tests from US-based Cepheid. This month, they, along with 150 health partners, penned an open letter urging Cepheid to lower the test price to USD 5, aiming to enhance accessibility in low-income regions.

(With inputs from agencies.)