The global tuberculosis burden continued to decline in 2025, but progress remains slower than expected, with India accounting for nearly one-fourth of cases worldwide.
The global burden of tuberculosis (TB) is declining again after the disruption caused by COVID-19, but the world is five years behind its original target, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2026 World TB Report, released on Thursday.
The report stated that the global TB incidence rate dropped by 1.6 per cent, from 131 cases per 100,000 people in 2024 to 129 in 2025. Over the past decade (2015–2025), new TB cases declined by 14 per cent, far below the End TB Strategy’s target of a 50 per cent reduction by 2025.
India remained the country with the highest TB burden, accounting for nearly 25 per cent of global cases in 2025. Other countries with high numbers of cases included Indonesia, the Philippines, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Bangladesh. Together, 30 high-burden countries accounted for 88 per cent of worldwide TB cases.
Despite the slow progress in reducing infections, TB deaths also declined. Around 1.13 million people died from the disease in 2025, compared with 1.18 million in 2024 and 1.74 million in 2015. This marked an important achievement, as the world finally reached the first mortality milestone of the End TB Strategy, originally set for 2020.
However, limited funding remains a major challenge. According to WHO, global funding for TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment reached $6.6 billion in 2025, only 30 per cent of the $22 billion annual target set for 2027.
Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Department for HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs, said, “In 2025, total funding for TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment reached $6.6 billion, just 30% of the $22 billion annual target for 2027.”
WHO officials warned that reduced international funding could affect diagnosis, treatment and prevention efforts in the coming years. Some countries, including India and Indonesia, have increased domestic funding to address the gap.
The report highlights that although progress is being made, stronger investment, early diagnosis and better access to treatment are essential to meet the global goal of ending TB by 2030.
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