Member States of the WHO South-East Asia Region today committed to stronger, more integrated action to close critical gaps to end tuberculosis (TB), focusing on earlier diagnosis, better access to prevention and treatment, stronger financial protection for families, and readiness for new TB vaccines.
“Tuberculosis is curable and preventable, yet it continues to take hundreds of thousands of lives in our Region every year and pushes families into poverty,” said Dr Nilesh Buddha, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia Region, at the Seventy-ninth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia, “We have the tools to change this trajectory. What we need is to ensure that these tools reach everyone who needs them – earlier, equitably and as part of quality primary health care.”
The WHO South-East Asia Region is home to almost a quarter of the world’s population, but accounted for approximately 34% of new TB cases globally in 2024 – an estimated 3.68 million cases – and approximately 433 000 deaths. Around 150 000 people developed multidrug- and rifampicin-resistant TB, representing more than 38% of the global burden.
Countries agreed to strengthen early and complete detection of people with TB through routine services, systematic screening and active case finding among high-risk and underserved populations, alongside wider use of WHO-recommended rapid diagnostics, including molecular diagnostics and digital technologies where appropriate.
They also committed to making TB care more people-centred, including better access to quality treatment for drug-resistant TB, nutritional and community-based support, and holistic action to address stigma, discrimination and the social, financial, geographic and other barriers that prevent people from accessing care.
Prevention will be strengthened by expanding access to TB preventive treatment for eligible household contacts and other people at risk, strengthening infection prevention and control, and addressing major risk factors such as undernutrition, diabetes and tobacco use.
Regional modelling indicates that the greatest reductions in TB incidence and mortality could be achieved through a combination of improved treatment and public–private engagement, rapid diagnostics, targeted prevention, active case finding among high-risk and underserved populations, and introducing TB vaccines, when available. Adding a TB vaccine from 2028 alongside these interventions could avert around 1.45 million new TB cases and 300 000 deaths by 2030. Preparedness for introduction of a TB vaccine would therefore be important.
The Region has made important progress since 2015. Treatment coverage now exceeds 85%, while treatment success rates are the highest among WHO regions. Rate of development of new TB (incidence) has fallen by 16%, faster than the global average decline of 12%, and TB deaths have fallen by 23%.
But these gains are not yet sufficient to reach the End TB Strategy targets of an 80% reduction in TB incidence and a 90% reduction in deaths by 2030, compared with 2015.
The burden also continues to have a major financial impact on families. Nearly 44% of TB-affected households face catastrophic costs, rising to more than 80% among households affected by drug-resistant TB. TB financing falls short of the needs. In 2024, approximately US$900 million was available for the regional TB response, against an estimated need of around US$3 billion.
Recognizing that ending TB requires action beyond the health sector, countries emphasized stronger integration of TB services within primary health care and universal health coverage.
Member States also committed to deepen regional cooperation – including South–South collaboration, cross-border referral and continuity of care for mobile and migrant populations – and to strengthen engagement of communities, civil society, people affected by TB and non-State providers as partners in shaping the TB response.
Member States also highlighted the importance of innovation and data-driven implementation, including digital health, operational research, voluntary technology transfer and stronger use of data at subnational level to target interventions where they are most needed.
With financing for TB still substantially below estimated need, Member States emphasized stronger domestic resource mobilization, more efficient use of available resources, pooled procurement and regional collaboration to improve access to quality-assured medicines, diagnostics and other essential commodities, particularly for countries and health systems with limited procurement capacity.
“Ending tuberculosis will require stronger regional solidarity and action across health systems, community systems, and beyond,” said Dr Nilesh Buddha, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia Region. “By putting equity at the centre, investing in sustainable responses, embracing innovation and ensuring that no one is left behind, we can close the gaps that continue to stand between us and the goal of ending TB by 2030.”