Global Tuberculosis Report 2024: A Deep Dive into the Fight Against TB

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, claiming millions of lives annually despite being preventable and treatable. The Global Tuberculosis Report 2024 was released by the World Health Organization (WHO). It provides a comprehensive overview of the global TB landscape. It highlights progress and challenges. There is an urgent need for action to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As we mark World TB Day on March 24, 2025, under the theme “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver!”, this blog explores key findings from the report, global TB statistics, regional insights, and actionable steps to end TB. Let’s dive into the data, uncover the gaps, and chart the path forward.

The Global TB Burden: A Snapshot of 2023

In 2023, TB continued to be a major global health challenge. According to the Global Tuberculosis Report 2024, an estimated 10.8 million people fell ill with TB worldwide, with 1.25 million deaths among HIV-negative individuals and an additional 162,000 deaths among those with HIV. This makes TB the second leading infectious killer after COVID-19, surpassing HIV/AIDS. The report also highlights the growing threat of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB). In 2023, 410,000 new cases of multidrug-resistant or rifampicin-resistant TB (MDR/RR-TB) were reported.

Here are some key global statistics from the report:

TB Incidence Rate: 134 cases per 100,000 population (a slight decline from 140 in 2015).
Men vs. Women: Men accounted for 55% of TB cases, women 33%, and children (under 15) 12%.
High-Burden Countries: 30 high TB burden countries, including India, Indonesia, and Nigeria, accounted for 87% of the global TB burden.
TB-HIV Co-Infection: 6.8% of TB cases were among people living with HIV, with 82% of them receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Despite these alarming figures, there’s a glimmer of hope. Between 2015 and 2023, global TB incidence fell by 8.5%. TB deaths decreased by 21%. These decreases show that concerted efforts are yielding results. However, the pace is too slow to meet the 2030 End TB targets.

Progress Towards Global TB Targets: Are We on Track?

The End TB Strategy was adopted by WHO member states. It aims to reduce TB deaths by 90%. Its goal is also to decrease new cases by 80% by 2030, compared to 2015 levels. The 2024 report measures progress against these milestones:

TB Incidence Reduction (2015-2023): Achieved 8.5% (target: 50% by 2025).
TB Death Reduction (2015-2023): Achieved 21% (target: 75% by 2025).
Catastrophic Costs for TB-Affected Households: 43% of TB-affected households faced catastrophic costs in 2023 (target: 0% by 2030).

While progress is evident, the report underscores a significant gap. At the current rate, the world is unlikely to meet the 2025 milestones, let alone the 2030 goals. The slow decline in TB incidence—only 2% annually—indicates that more aggressive interventions are needed.

Regional Insights: Where Does the Burden Lie?

The 2024 report breaks down the TB burden by WHO regions, revealing stark disparities:

South-East Asia Region: Home to 46% of global TB cases, with India alone accounting for 26% (2.8 million cases). The region saw a 14% reduction in TB incidence since 2015, the highest among all regions.
African Region: Contributed 23% of global cases, with Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as major contributors. TB-HIV co-infection is a significant challenge here, with 16% of cases among people living with HIV.
Western Pacific Region: Accounted for 17% of cases, led by China and the Philippines. The region has made strides in DR-TB treatment, with a 62% treatment success rate.
European Region: The region saw the steepest decline in TB incidence, with a 24% reduction since 2015. However, DR-TB remains a concern because it accounts for 24% of global MDR/RR-TB cases.
Region of the Americas and Eastern Mediterranean: These regions together accounted for 8% of cases. They face challenges in case detection and access to care.

These regional variations highlight the need for tailored strategies. For instance, South-East Asia’s high burden calls for intensified case-finding, while Africa needs stronger TB-HIV integration.

The Growing Threat of Drug-Resistant TB

Drug-resistant TB, particularly MDR/RR-TB, poses a significant barrier to global TB control. In 2023, only 44% of the estimated 410,000 MDR/RR-TB cases were diagnosed. They were enrolled in treatment. This situation leaves a massive gap in care. The treatment success rate for MDR/RR-TB was 68% globally. This marks an improvement from 59% in 2015. However, it is still far from ideal.

The report emphasizes the need for wider access to rapid diagnostics. Tools like GeneXpert MTB/RIF can detect rifampicin resistance in hours. However, only 44% of people with bacteriologically confirmed TB were tested for rifampicin resistance in 2023. This highlights a critical diagnostic gap.

TB Funding: A Persistent Challenge

Funding remains a major bottleneck in the global fight against TB. The 2024 report reveals that US$ 5.7 billion was available for TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in 2023. This amount is far short of US$ 22 billion needed annually by 2027 to meet global targets. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) bear 98% of the TB burden. They received only 20% of their required funding from domestic sources. They rely heavily on international donors like the Global Fund.

India: Allocated US$ 650 million, the highest among high-burden countries, but still faced a 20% funding gap.
Nigeria: Received only US$ 120 million against a need of US$ 450 million.
Global Fund Contribution: Provided 77% of international funding for TB in 2023.

Without increased investment, the report warns, progress will stall, and the 2030 targets will remain out of reach.

Innovations and Success Stories

Despite the challenges, the 2024 report highlights several innovations and success stories:

Shorter Treatment Regimens: The introduction of 6-month all-oral regimens for DR-TB has improved treatment outcomes. These regimens have achieved a 68% success rate globally.
Digital Health Tools: AI-based chest X-ray screening has enhanced case detection in countries like India and Indonesia. Mobile health apps have also contributed to this improvement.
TB Preventive Treatment (TPT): 4.2 million people received TPT in 2023, which is a 40% increase from 2020. This protects high-risk groups like children and people with HIV.
Community Engagement: In Nigeria, community health workers increased TB case notifications by 30% in rural areas through door-to-door screening.

These innovations demonstrate that with the right tools and strategies, ending TB is within reach.

The Path Forward: How to End TB by 2030

The Global Tuberculosis Report 2024 outlines five key priorities to accelerate progress:

Increase Funding: Close the US$ 16.3 billion annual funding gap by mobilizing domestic and international resources.
Enhance Case Detection: Scale up rapid diagnostics like GeneXpert and AI-based tools to close the 2.7 million case detection gap.
Expand TB Preventive Treatment: Reach 30 million people with TPT by 2027, focusing on high-risk groups.
Address Social Determinants: Tackle poverty, malnutrition, and overcrowding, which drive TB transmission.
Strengthen Health Systems: Integrate TB services with HIV, diabetes, and maternal health programs for a holistic approach.

End Note

The Global Tuberculosis Report 2024 paints a sobering yet hopeful picture of the fight against TB. While the world has made strides—reducing TB deaths by 21% and incidence by 8.5% since 2015—the current pace is insufficient to meet the 2030 End TB targets. With 10.8 million new cases and 1.4 million deaths in 2023, the urgency to act has never been greater.