Today is March 24, World Tuberculosis (TB) Day. Every year, we commemorate World TB Day to raise awareness of TB and drive global action toward ending this devastating disease.
TB is caused by an infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, which usually affects the lungs. TB affects all age groups, but it is especially deadly among people with HIV. The disease is preventable and curable with antibiotics, but every year, more than 10 million people become sick with TB, and approximately 1.3 million people die from it. TB is the world’s second leading infectious killer, only surpassed by COVID-19.
Last September, the United Nations General Assembly gathered for the second high-level meeting on TB. In conjunction with the high-level meeting, the UN put out a status update assessing current progress against the targets set forth in 2018. According to the status update, the world fell behind on nearly all targets, in part thanks to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and conflicts across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
Members at the high-level meeting recommitted to ending TB by 2030 and set new, more ambitious targets for testing, prevention, and treatment. These targets include reaching 90 percent of those who develop TB with testing and treatment, closing the funding gap for TB research and services, and licensing at least one new TB vaccine, among others—all by 2027.
The theme for this World TB Day, “Yes! We Can end TB!,” calls on world leaders to make good on their promises and invest in ending TB through comprehensive services and equitable access to testing, prevention, and treatment.
To learn more about the global burden of TB, explore our resource pack on Global Infectious Diseases or check out the selected resources below.
Selected Resources
- Global Tuberculosis Report 2023, World Health Organization 2023
- Global Tuberculosis Report: Country Profiles, World Health Organization 2023
- Tuberculosis Fact Sheet, World Health Organization 2023
- Building a Tuberculosis-Free World: The Lancet Commission on Tuberculosis, The Lancet 2019