WHO reports 10.6M TB cases in 2025 as domestic funding rises 14%
The TB burden remains concentrated in 30 countries, which accounted for 88% of new cases in 2025.
SWITZERLAND—The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a decline in tuberculosis (TB) cases and deaths in 2025, according to its Global Tuberculosis Report 2026, released in Switzerland, as countries increased domestic funding to sustain disease control programmes.
Domestic investment in TB programmes rose by 14% to US$5.6 billion between 2024 and 2025, partly offsetting a similar decline in international financing.
The increase highlights the growing role of national governments in maintaining essential TB services amid tightening global health budgets.
An estimated 10.6 million people developed TB in 2025, while 1.1 million died from the disease.
Although deaths have declined by 35% since 2015, progress remains below global targets.
Treatment has saved an estimated 86 million lives since 2000, enabling the world to achieve the mortality milestone of WHO’s End TB Strategy, albeit five years behind schedule.
The global TB incidence rate declined by 14% between 2015 and 2025, against a target reduction of 50%.
TB also remains the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent.
“The continued decline in TB cases and deaths is very encouraging, especially given the challenges many countries have faced from funding cuts,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
He noted that governments had increased domestic spending to protect progress but warned that more than one million people continue to die annually from a preventable and treatable disease.
WHO is urging governments and development partners to expand access to TB services, protect funding, and accelerate the development of new diagnostic and treatment technologies.
Regional disparities and diagnostic gaps
The TB burden remains concentrated in 30 countries, which accounted for 88% of new cases in 2025.
However, regional trends varied considerably. Between 2015 and 2025, incidence declined by 42% in the WHO European Region and 30% in the African Region.
South-East Asia recorded an 18% reduction, while the Eastern Mediterranean achieved a 6.6% decline.
The Western Pacific recorded no net change, whereas incidence in the Americas increased for the fifth consecutive year, reaching 13% above 2015 levels.
These differences reflect variations in disease risk factors, healthcare infrastructure, access to diagnostic services and sustained investment in TB programmes.
Of the 10.6 million people who developed TB in 2025, only 8.4 million were diagnosed, leaving approximately 2.2 million undiagnosed or unreported.
Furthermore, just 59% of newly diagnosed patients received a WHO-recommended rapid diagnostic test, well below the 100% target set for 2027.
Drug resistance and research investment
Drug-resistant TB continues to challenge treatment programmes.
An estimated 370,000 people developed rifampicin-resistant TB in 2025, but only 42% received treatment.
Among treated patients, uptake of WHO’s recommended six-month regimen increased from 18% in 2024 to 42% in 2025.
Research funding also remains inadequate. Investment reached US$1.2 billion in 2023, representing less than one-quarter of the US$5 billion annual target required by 2027.
Increased funding is needed to advance the development and deployment of new TB vaccines, diagnostics and treatments.
WHO is calling on governments and partners to strengthen political commitment, increase sustainable domestic financing, expand access to prevention and early diagnosis, and improve treatment coverage.
The agency also emphasises the need for greater investment in research and innovation to accelerate the development of tools needed to address persistent gaps in TB care.
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