Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious killers, claiming over 1.2 million lives and affecting an estimated 10.7 million people last year, according to the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2025, released today. Despite measurable progress in diagnosis, treatment and innovation, persistent challenges in funding and equitable access to care threaten to reverse hard-won gains in the global fight against TB.
"Declines in the global burden of TB, and progress in testing, treatment, social protection and research are all welcome news after years of setbacks, but progress is not victory," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "The fact that TB continues to claim over a million lives each year, despite being preventable and curable, is simply unconscionable. WHO is working with countries to build on the progress they have made and accelerate the path to ending TB by 2030.”
Between 2023 and 2024, the global rate of people falling ill with TB declined by nearly 2%, while deaths from TB fell by 3%. These reductions signal a continued recovery of essential health services following disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some regions and countries show sustained progress, demonstrating that strong political commitment and investment address this ancient disease. Between 2015 and 2024, the WHO African Region achieved a 28% reduction in the TB incidence rate (number of people falling ill with TB per 100 000 population per year) and a 46% reduction in deaths. The European Region saw even greater declines, with a 39% drop in incidence and a 49% reduction in deaths.
During the same period, over 100 countries achieved at least a 20% reduction in TB incidence rates, and 65 countries achieved reductions of 35% or more in TB-related deaths. These countries have attained the first milestones of the WHO End TB Strategy.
However, ending TB globally will require accelerated progress in countries with the highest burden. In 2024, 87% of the global number of people who developed TB disease was concentrated in 30 countries. Just eight of them accounted for 67% of the global total: India (25%), Indonesia (10%), the Philippines (6.8%), China (6.5%), Pakistan (6.3%), Nigeria (4.8%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (3.9%) and Bangladesh (3.6%).
