March 24, 2025
- Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is one of the oldest known diseases, with evidence of its existence dating back thousands of years.
- TB killed 1.25 million people in 2023. The countries with the highest disease burden are India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, and Pakistan, which together account for 56 percent of the global burden.
- TB is both preventable and treatable. Early diagnosis, timely treatment, the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, and proper ventilation can help control its spread.
- When antibiotics are misused or treatment is incomplete, TB bacteria can become resistant to available medicines. This resistance makes TB harder to treat. Only 2 in 5 people with drug-resistant TB accessed treatment in 2023.
- Poor living and working conditions, undernutrition, and limited financial resources leave communities more vulnerable to TB infection and limit their access to healthcare, making it difficult to attain a diagnosis and treatment and to adhere to and finish the long-term treatment TB requires.
- 50 percent of people treated for TB face total costs and financial losses that are catastrophic (more than 20 percent of their household income).
- Improved living conditions, increased global funding, adequate healthcare access, and public awareness campaigns are key to eradicating TB once and for all.
Reference: World Health Organization, 2025
