WHO warns of urgent tuberculosis crisis in Africa, urging stronger investment and action as the disease continues to kill thousands annually

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has renewed its call for urgent global action to end tuberculosis (TB), warning that the disease continues to pose a severe public health threat across Africa despite recent progress in containment efforts.

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The  was issued by Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, in a statement marking World Tuberculosis Day 2026 in Abuja.

The annual commemoration, themed “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver,” highlights the need for stronger political commitment, increased funding, and improved healthcare systems to combat one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases.

Dr Janabi said Africa continues to bear a disproportionate share of the global TB burden, with the disease killing one person every 83 seconds, underscoring what he described as an urgent need for intensified intervention across prevention, diagnosis, and treatment systems.

He revealed that in 2024 alone, tuberculosis claimed 378,000 lives in the WHO African Region and infected 2.7 million people, accounting for roughly a quarter of global cases.

Despite these alarming figures, Dr Janabi noted that significant progress has been recorded in recent years, including a 46 per cent reduction in TB-related deaths and a 28 per cent decline in incidence between 2015 and 2024.

He said several countries, including South Africa, Mozambique, and Tanzania, have made notable strides toward meeting global TB reduction targets through improved healthcare delivery and expanded community engagement.

The WHO tuberculosis Africa warning also highlighted persistent challenges, including funding gaps, undetected cases, and inequalities in access to healthcare services, which continue to slow progress toward elimination.

Dr Janabi stressed that ending TB will require sustained national leadership, stronger domestic and international investment, and empowered communities capable of driving local responses.

He further emphasised that community-led approaches remain essential to improving prevention, diagnosis, and treatment outcomes across the continent.

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The WHO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting member states in accelerating efforts to eliminate tuberculosis as a public health threat, urging renewed global solidarity and action.