WHO urges action to eliminate tuberculosis by 2030

The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for immediate action to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) by the year 2030. They have highlighted the urgent situation in the Western Pacific region, which has a high number of cases. On World TB Day, observed on March 24, the WHO reported nearly 1.9 million new TB cases and 95,000 deaths due to the disease in 2023. The WHO’s regional director for the Western Pacific, Saia Ma'u Piukala, emphasized the importance of acting quickly to provide timely diagnosis and care to those at risk. TB is an infectious disease caused by bacteria, mainly affecting the lungs. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or spits. Although it is preventable and treatable with antibiotics, it remains a major health threat, causing more deaths than any other infection. Despite advancements, 1.5 million people die from TB each year. The disease is particularly deadly for people living with HIV and contributes to problems with drug resistance. Most TB cases are found in low- and middle-income countries, with eight countries, including India and Nigeria, accounting for about half of all cases. Currently, an estimated quarter of the world's population is infected with TB bacteria, but not everyone will develop the disease. Those who are infected but not ill cannot spread the bacteria.