TB deaths decline in Africa, but challenges still persist - WHO
WHO’s Global TB Report 2024 shows that TB deaths in Africa have dropped by 42 per cent between 2015 and 2023, while cases have declined by 24 per cent.
The African region has recorded the steepest decline in tuberculosis (TB) deaths globally since 2015, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
However, despite this progress, key targets to lower the disease burden remain unmet.
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WHO’s Global TB Report 2024 shows that TB deaths in Africa have dropped by 42 per cent between 2015 and 2023, while cases have declined by 24 per cent.
The reductions have been attributed to improved case detection and treatment, with 1.9 million cases identified in 2023 compared to 1.4 million in 2020.
Over the same period, treatment coverage increased from 55 per cent to 74 per cent across the region.
South Africa has achieved a 50 per cent reduction in TB incidence, surpassing the 2025 milestone ahead of schedule.
Mozambique, Tanzania, Togo, and Zambia have already met the goal of a 75 per cent reduction in TB deaths. Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Uganda are also making significant progress, with mortality reductions of 66 per cent or more.
Eastern and Southern Africa have led the way in TB reduction, cutting incidence from 466 to 266 per 100,000 people between 2000 and 2023.
However, progress has been slower in Central and West Africa, where the disease remains a major health concern.
The 2025 World TB Day theme, “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver,” calls for stronger commitments and investments in TB control.
WHO’s End TB Strategy aims for a 75 per cent reduction in TB deaths and a 50 per cent decline in cases by 2025, compared to 2015 levels.
Despite improvements, challenges remain. Access to rapid diagnostics has expanded from 24 per cent in 2015 to 54 per cent in 2023, but it is still insufficient to curb the spread of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).
Over half of MDR-TB cases remain undiagnosed and untreated.
TB also places a heavy financial burden on families. Nearly 68 per cent of TB-affected households in Africa face catastrophic healthcare costs, including medical expenses and income loss, making treatment adherence difficult.
Funding shortages remain a major obstacle. The region requires $4.5 billion (Sh582.7 billion) annually to provide comprehensive TB services, but only $0.9 billion (Sh116.5 billion) is available, leaving a $3.6 (Sh466.2 billion) billion gap.
Without urgent investment, life-saving treatments will remain out of reach for many.
WHO continues to support countries in adopting rapid diagnostic tools and updated treatment guidelines, in line with the UN High-Level Meeting Political Declaration on TB 2023.
The organization urges urgent action to close the diagnostic gap, increase funding, and expand access to treatment and prevention to meet global TB reduction targets.
What is TB?
TB is an infectious disease that most often affects the lungs and is caused by a type of bacteria and can be fatal if not treated properly.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) however notes that the bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine and brain.
Tuberculosis mostly affects adults in their most productive years. However, all age groups are at risk.
The disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis spreads through the air when infected people cough, sneeze or spit.
Since not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick, two TB-related conditions exist; latent TB infection (LTBI) and TB disease.
Latent infection occurs when the TB bacteria live in the body without making you sick.
People with latent TB infection do not have symptoms and they can’t spread TB bacteria to others but may develop TB disease if they do not receive treatment for latent TB infection.
"Many people who have latent TB infection never develop TB disease. In these people, the TB bacteria remain inactive for a lifetime without causing disease," CDC explains.
On the other hand, TB disease is when the body's immune system can’t stop the bacteria from growing.
"People with TB disease are sick. They may also be able to spread the bacteria to people they spend time with every day," it says.
The World Health Organisation lists prolonged cough (sometimes with blood) chest pain, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, fever and night sweats as some of the common symptoms of TB disease.WHO recommends the use of rapid molecular diagnostic tests as the initial diagnostic test in all persons with signs and symptoms of TB.
Rapid diagnostic tests recommended by WHO include the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra and Truenat assays.
These tests have high diagnostic accuracy and will lead to major improvements in the early detection of TB and drug-resistant TB.
"Tuberculosis disease is treated with antibiotics. Treatment is recommended for both TB infection and disease," WHO says. To be effective, the medications should be taken daily for four to six months.
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