GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a significant global recovery in the fight against tuberculosis (TB), signaling a positive trend in efforts to combat the world’s second deadliest disease. According to the WHO, 7.5 million people received a new TB diagnosis in 2022, marking the highest figure since the organization began monitoring TB globally in 1995.
This positive development comes after a period of disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, during which TB diagnosis and treatment rates plummeted, leading to a resurgence of the disease.
The WHO hailed the increase in diagnoses as a sign that efforts are beginning to reverse the detrimental effects of Covid-19 disruptions on TB services. The pandemic-related disruptions had allowed TB to rebound, resulting in nearly half a million excess TB deaths between 2020 and 2022. However, the new figures indicate a shift in the right direction, with a decrease in TB-related deaths in 2022 compared to previous years.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed hope that this positive momentum could signify a renewed commitment to eradicating tuberculosis, a disease that has plagued humanity for centuries. He emphasized the opportunity to make history by writing the final chapter in the story of TB, leveraging the knowledge and tools available today.
Number of New TB Infections Increasing Globally
While TB-related deaths are on a downward trend, the number of new TB infections is still rising globally. In 2022, TB caused an estimated 1.3 million deaths, making it the world’s second leading cause of death from a single infectious agent, following Covid-19. Despite this challenge, the WHO’s report highlighted a narrowing gap between the estimated number of people developing TB and the reported number of newly diagnosed cases.
The Global Fund, a partnership established in 2002 to combat AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, praised the WHO’s findings, expressing a sense of hope. Global Fund chief Peter Sands emphasized the positive outlook and the collective efforts being made to address the TB crisis globally.
The report indicates a promising shift in the fight against TB, providing hope for millions of people affected by the disease.
