Diagnosing Tuberculosis: a Key Step to Eradicate the Deadly Disease

According to the latest report on tuberculosis (TB) produced by the World Health Organization (WHO), diagnosis and treatment services have greatly improved in 2022, and efforts must consistently be deployed to eradicate the deadly disease for good.

“We have strong commitments with concrete targets made by world leaders in the political declaration of the second UN High-Level Meeting on TB, that provides a strong impetus to accelerate the TB response,” states Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global TB Programme. “This report provides key data and evidence on the status of the TB epidemic and a review of progress, that serves to inform the translation of these targets and commitments into action in countries. We need all hands on deck to make the vision of ending TB a reality.”

Data collected in 192 countries and areas was used to produce the report, which shows that 7.5 million people around the world were diagnosed with TB in 2022 – out of 10.6 million people who ultimately fell ill with the disease – the highest figure since 1995 when WHO started to monitor the illness. Global efforts deployed since 2000 have helped save more than 75 million people from TB, and measures need to stay strong to eradicate once and for all the world’s second-leading infectious, deadly disease. New targets have been set for the 2023-2027 period. These include reaching 90% of people in need of TB prevention and care services, using a WHO-recommended rapid test as the first method of diagnosing TB, providing a health and social benefits package to all people with TB, ensuring the availability of at least one new TB vaccine that is safe and effective, and closing funding gaps for TB implementation and research by 2027.