Tuberculosis: current challenges and beyond

Despite being a preventable and curable disease, tuberculosis (TB) is still a major global health threat and the second leading cause of death due to an infectious agent worldwide. All the efforts invested to end TB have resulted overall in rather slow decreases in TB incidence and mortality rates, which have been further negatively affected by the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. While the majority of targets of the End TB Strategy remain off track, and we have not yet overcome the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, recent conflicts such as the ongoing war in Ukraine are threatening the decrease of the burden of TB even further. To get back on track and get closer to ending TB, we need urgent, global, well-structured and committed multi-sectoral actions that go beyond national and global TB programmes with the support of deep investments in research and facilitation of equitable and rapid implementation of innovation worldwide.

Automated summary

Despite efforts to end tuberculosis (TB), the disease remains a major global health threat and is the second leading cause of death due to an infectious agent. Progress in reducing TB incidence and mortality rates has been slow, further worsened by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Recent conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine, pose additional challenges in reducing the burden of TB. Urgent and comprehensive multi-sectoral actions, supported by investment in research and global innovation, are needed to overcome these challenges and work towards ending TB.