The World Health Organisation (WHO) has published its Global Tuberculosis Report 2024, revealing a concerning increase in TB cases worldwide, with 1.25 million deaths in 2023.

The report, in a statement on Tuesday, said approximately 8.2 million people were newly diagnosed with TB in 2023, the highest number since WHO began global TB monitoring in 1995.

According to the report, 10.8 million people fell ill with tuberculosis in 2023, with the disease remaining the leading infectious disease killer, surpassing COVID-19.

“A total of 1.25 million people died from tuberculosis (TB) in 2023 (including 161,000 people with HIV).

“Worldwide, TB has probably returned to being the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent, following three years in which it was replaced by coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“It was also the leading killer of people with HIV and a major cause of deaths related to antimicrobial resistance,” WHO said.

It said the breakdown of cases showed that 55 per cent were men, 33 per cent women, and 12 per cent children and young adolescents.

“India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, and Pakistan account for 56 per cent of the global TB burden,” the global health body said.

WHO director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus expressed outrage that tuberculosis continues to kill and sicken millions despite available prevention tools.

He said the challenges include significant underfunding, with global funding decreasing to $5.7 billion (26 per cent of target), and multidrug-resistant TB remains a public health crisis. Low- and middle-income countries face funding shortages.

WHO urges countries to expand tool usage and end TB, calling for sustained financial investment in disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment efforts.

(NAN)