Ending tuberculosis (TB) globally will require accelerated progress in countries with the highest burden, the World Health Organisation said on Wednesday, noting that eight countries account for 67% of all TB patients, with India topping the list with a quarter of all patients.

Despite many gains, global progress levels remain far from meeting the WHO’s End TB Strategy targets. Global funding for TB treatment, prevention, and research has stagnated, barely reaching a quarter of the targeted amounts, according to the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2025.

TB remains one of the world’s deadliest infections, claiming over 12 lakh lives and affecting an estimated 1.07 crore people last year. In 2024, 87% of the world’s TB patients were concentrated in 30 countries, with the highest rates found in India (25%), Indonesia (10%), the Philippines (6.8%), China (6.5%), Pakistan (6.3%), Nigeria (4.8%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (3.9%) and Bangladesh (3.6%), the report said.

Funding cuts

Despite measurable progress in diagnosis, treatment and innovation, persistent challenges in funding and equitable access to care threaten to reverse hard-won gains in the global fight against TB, the report said. It notes that cuts to international donor funding from 2025 onward pose a serious challenge. Modelling studies have already warned that long-term cuts to international donor funding could result in up to 20 lakh additional deaths and one crore people falling ill with TB between 2025 and 2035. 

Global funding for TB has stagnated since 2020. In 2024, only $5.9 billion was available for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, just over a quarter of the $22 billion annual target set for 2027, the report said. 

Funding for TB research also lags, reaching only $1.2 billion in 2023 (24% of the target). In terms of tools to fight TB, the report says that as of August 2025, 63 diagnostic tests were in development and 29 drugs were in clinical trials, up from just eight in 2015. Additionally, 18 vaccine candidates are undergoing clinical trials, including 6 in Phase 3. 

Decline in TB incidence

Between 2023 and 2024, the global rate of people falling ill with TB declined by nearly 2%, while deaths from TB fell by 3%.

Some regions and countries show sustained progress; for instance, between 2015 and 2024, the WHO African Region achieved a 28% reduction in the TB incidence rate, or the number of people falling ill with TB per 1,00,000 population per year, and a 46% reduction in deaths. The European Region saw even greater declines, with a 39% drop in incidence and a 49% reduction in deaths.

During the same period, over 100 countries achieved at least a 20% reduction in TB incidence rates, and 65 countries achieved reductions of 35% or more in TB-related deaths. These countries have attained the first milestones of the WHO’s End TB Strategy. 

‘Unconscionable deaths’

Declines in the global TB burden, and progress in testing, treatment, social protection and research are all welcome news after years of setbacks, but progress is not victory, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.

“The fact that TB continues to claim over a million lives each year, despite being preventable and curable, is simply unconscionable. WHO is working with countries to build on the progress they have made and accelerate the path to ending TB by 2030,” he added. 

Testing and treatment

WHO also notes that timely treatment for TB has saved an estimated 8.3 crore lives since 2000. Between 2023 and 2024, progress continued in TB diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, reflecting the impact of sustained efforts and innovation in countries. 

In 2024, 83 lakh people were newly diagnosed with TB and accessed treatment, representing about 78% of the people who fell ill with the disease during that year. The coverage of rapid testing for TB diagnosis increased from 48% in 2023 to 54% in 2024 and treatment for drug-susceptible TB remained highly effective, with a success rate of 88%.

The number of people developing drug-resistant TB each year has also been declining, with over 1.64 lakh people receiving treatment in 2024. The latest data show an improvement in the treatment success rate, to 71%, up from 68% the previous year. In 2024, 53 lakh people at high risk of TB received preventive treatment, up from 47 lakh in 2023. 

Unequal protection

For the first time, WHO has reported on progress toward the social protection target established at the second UN High-Level Meeting on TB in 2023, using data compiled by the International Labour Organization (ILO). Among the 30 high TB burden countries, social protection coverage remains highly unequal, ranging from 3.1% in Uganda to 94% in Mongolia. Notably, 19 countries report coverage rates below 50%. 

The report also highlights data on the major risk factors driving the epidemic such as undernutrition, HIV infections, diabetes, smoking, and alcohol use. Confronting these drivers, alongside structural determinants such as poverty, requires coordinated multisectoral action.

“We are at a defining moment in the fight against TB,” said Tereza Kasaeva, director of the WHO Department for HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs. “Funding cuts and persistent drivers of the epidemic threaten to undo hard-won gains, but with political commitment, sustained investment, and global solidarity, we can turn the tide and end this ancient killer once and for all.” WHO now calls for sustained political commitment, increased domestic investment, and intensified research to accelerate progress.

Published – November 12, 2025 09:54 pm IST

Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
| Photo Credit: Reuters

The head of the World Health Organization insisted on Monday (February 17, 2025) it was “now or never” to strike a landmark global accord on tackling future pandemics, despite the United States withdrawing from negotiations.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said no country could protect itself from the next pandemic on its own — three days after U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration formally told the United Nations health agency it would play no further part in the pandemic agreement talks.

Also read | The cause and effects of the U.S.’s withdrawal from WHO

“We are at a crucial point as you move to finalise the pandemic agreement in time for the World Health Assembly” in May, Tedros told WHO member states at the opening of the week-long 13th round of negotiations at the organisation’s Geneva headquarters.

“It really is a case of now or never. But I am confident that you will choose “now” because you know what is at stake.”

A further one-week session is planned to finalise the agreement before the WHO’s annual decision-making Assembly.

In December 2021, fearing a repeat of the devastation wrought by Covid-19 — which killed millions of people, crippled health systems and crashed economies — countries decided to draft a new accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

While much of the draft text has been agreed, disputes remain over some key provisions, notably over sharing access to pathogens with pandemic potential and then equitably sharing the benefits derived from them, such as vaccines, tests and treatments.

‘Protect future generations’

“You remember the hard-won lessons of COVID-19, which left an estimated 20 million of our brothers and sisters dead, and which continues to kill.

“They are why we are here — to protect future generations from the impact of future pandemics,” said Tedros.

“The next pandemic is a matter of when, not if. There are reminders all around us — Ebola, Marburg, measles, mpox, influenza and the threat of the next disease X.”

Hours after returning to office on January 20, Trump signed an executive order to start the one-year process of withdrawing from the WHO, an organisation he has repeatedly criticised over its handling of Covid-19.

The order also said that during the withdrawal process, Washington would “cease negotiations” on the pandemic agreement.

Mr. Tedros said Washington had formally notified the WHO on Friday of its withdrawal from the agreement talks.

“No country can protect itself by itself. Bilateral agreements will only get you so far,” Mr. Tedros said, adding that prevention, preparedness and response was the responsibility of all countries.

“Like the decision to withdraw from WHO, we regret this decision and we hope the U.S. will reconsider,” he said.

Las Vegas:

President Donald Trump said on Saturday he may consider rejoining the World Health Organization, days after ordering a US exit from the global health agency over what he described as a mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises.

“Maybe we would consider doing it again, I don’t know. Maybe we would. They would have to clean it up,” Trump said at a rally in Las Vegas.

The US is scheduled to leave the WHO on Jan. 22, 2026. Trump announced the move on Monday after he was sworn in for a second term in the White House.

The US is by far the biggest financial backer of the WHO, contributing around 18% of its overall funding. The WHO’s most recent two-year budget, for 2024-2025, was $6.8 billion.

Trump told the crowd in Las Vegas he was unhappy that the U.S. paid more into the WHO than China, which has a much bigger population.

He added that he will ask Saudi Arabia to make an investment of about $1 trillion in the U.S., up from the $600 billion the Saudis have pledged to invest.

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Trump in the past week that the kingdom wants to put $600 billion into expanded investment and trade with the U.S. over the next four years.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

“We hope the United States will reconsider and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the U.S.A. and the WHO,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general, World Health Organization (WHO), said in a statement issued on Monday following an announcement by President Donald Trump that the U.S. would exit the WHO. Mr. Trump cited the global health agency’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises as a reason for the exit.

Stating that American institutions have both contributed to and benefited from membership in the WHO, the global health agency expressed its regret over the announcement and said that the U.S. should reconsider its decision for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe.

Founded in 1948, the WHO is the United Nations agency that connects nations, partners, and people to promote health. According to the WHO, the organisation gets its funding from two main sources – Member States paying their assessed contributions (countries’ membership dues), and voluntary contributions from Member States and other partners. 

Assessed contributions are a percentage of a country’s gross domestic product (the percentage is agreed by the United Nations General Assembly). Member States approve them every two years at the World Health Assembly. They cover less than 20% of the total budget.

The remainder of the WHO’s financing is in the form of voluntary contributions, largely from Member States as well as from other United Nations bodies, intergovernmental organisations, philanthropic foundations, the private sector, and other sources. 

From 2020 to 2021, Germany was the largest donor to the WHO, contributing over one billion U.S. dollars. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation contributed the second highest amount at 751 million U.S. dollars, the United States contributed the third highest amount of funding at 693 million U.S. dollars. Funding for the WHO from 2020 to 2021 includes increased efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as funding from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), according to research data experts.

Meanwhile, in his statement on Monday, Dr. Ghebreyesu said that the United States has been a founding member of the WHO in 1948 and has participated in shaping and governing the WHO’s work ever since, alongside 193 other member states, including through its active participation in the world health assembly and executive board. For over seven decades, the WHO and the U.S.A. have saved countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats.

“Working together the world has seen the end of smallpox and brought polio to the brink of eradication,’’ it added stating that with the participation of the United States and other Member States, the WHO has over the past seven years implemented the largest set of reforms in its history, to transform our accountability, cost-effectiveness, and impact in countries.

India is also among the top ten global contributors of core funding to the WHO and has committed to give more than $300 million for the organisation’s core programme of work from 2025 to 2028. The biggest chunk of $250 million will be spent on the Centre of Excellence for Traditional Medicine.

In India, the WHO has extended support in major health initiatives including intensified pulse polio immunisation, mission indradhanush etc. and worked closely during the COVID pandemic in terms of response and vaccination. 

Sudarshan Jain, secretary general, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance speaking about the U.S. withdrawal said, “The relationship between India and the U.S. has been growing from strength to strength over the years. Healthcare security and affordability are key priorities for the new Trump administration. India and the U.S. have an opportunity to collaborate in these areas to advance the healthcare agenda.’’

Geneva:

The World Health Organization on Monday implored China to share data and access to help understand how Covid-19 began, five years on from the start of the pandemic that upended the planet.

Covid-19 killed millions of people, shredded economies and crippled health systems.

“We continue to call on China to share data and access so we can understand the origins of Covid-19. This is a moral and scientific imperative,” the WHO said in a statement.

“Without transparency, sharing, and cooperation among countries, the world cannot adequately prevent and prepare for future epidemics and pandemics.”

The WHO recounted how on December 31, 2019, its country office in China picked up a media statement from the health authorities in Wuhan concerning cases of “viral pneumonia” in the city.

“In the weeks, months and years that unfolded after that, Covid-19 came to shape our lives and our world,” the UN health agency said.

“As we mark this milestone, let’s take a moment to honour the lives changed and lost, recognise those who are suffering from Covid-19 and Long Covid, express gratitude to the health workers who sacrificed so much to care for us, and commit to learning from Covid-19 to build a healthier tomorrow.”

‘Same weaknesses’

Earlier this month, the WHO’s Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addressed the issue of whether the world was better prepared for the next pandemic than it was for Covid-19.

“The answer is yes, and no,” he told a press conference.

“If the next pandemic arrived today, the world would still face some of the same weaknesses and vulnerabilities that gave Covid-19 a foothold five years ago.

“But the world has also learnt many of the painful lessons the pandemic taught us, and has taken significant steps to strengthen its defences against future epidemics and pandemics.”

In December 2021, spooked by the devastation caused by Covid, countries decided to start drafting an accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

The WHO’s 194 member states negotiating the treaty have agreed on most of what it should include, but are stuck on the practicalities.

A key fault-line lies between Western nations with major pharmaceutical industry sectors and poorer countries wary of being sidelined when the next pandemic strikes.

While the outstanding issues are few, they include the heart of the agreement: the obligation to quickly share emerging pathogens, and then the pandemic-fighting benefits derived from them such as vaccines.

The deadline for the negotiations is May 2025.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Members of Donald Trump’s presidential transition team are laying the groundwork for the United States to withdraw from the World Health Organization on the first day of his second term, according to a health law expert familiar with the discussions.

“I have it on good authority that he plans to withdraw, probably on Day One or very early in his administration,” said Lawrence Gostin, professor of global health at Georgetown University in Washington and director of the WHO Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law.

The Financial Times was first to report on the plans, citing two experts. The second expert, former White House COVID-19 response coordinator Ashish Jha, was not immediately available for comment.

The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The plan, which aligns with Trump’s longstanding criticism of the U.N. health agency, would mark a dramatic shift in U.S. global health policy and further isolate Washington from international efforts to battle pandemics.

Trump has nominated several critics of the organization to top public health positions, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic who is up for the post of secretary of Health and Human Services, which oversees all major U.S. health agencies including the CDC and FDA.

Trump initiated the year-long withdrawal process from the WHO in 2020 but six months later his successor, President Joe Biden, reversed the decision.

Trump has argued that the agency failed to hold China accountable for the early spread of COVID-19. He has repeatedly called the WHO a puppet of Beijing and vowed to redirect U.S. contributions to domestic health initiatives.

A WHO spokesperson declined to directly comment but referred Reuters to comments by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a press briefing on December 10 in which he was asked whether he was concerned that the Trump administration would withdraw from the organization.

Mr. Tedros said at the time that the WHO needed to give the U.S. time and space for the transition. He also voiced confidence that states could finalize a pandemic agreement by May 2025.

Critics warn that a U.S. withdrawal could undermine global disease surveillance and emergency response systems.

“The U.S. would lose influence and clout in global health and China would fill the vacuum. I can’t imagine a world without a robust WHO. But U.S. withdrawal would severely weaken the agency,” Mr. Gostin said.

GUWAHATI

A global project partnered by the World Health Organization (WHO) to combat refractive errors will soon be implemented in Assam.

SPECS 2030 or Strengthening Provision of Eye Care Services project, the WHO’s first at a large scale in South Asia and Southeast Asia, aims to address the need to combat refractive errors, the leading cause of vision impairment affecting over 2.2 billion people globally.

At least 800 million of such people have conditions that can be corrected with reading glasses, a joint statement from the WHO, the Assam government, and the Guwahati-based Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya (SSDN) said on Wednesday (November 20, 2024).

The project is a collaboration of the WHO, the National Health Mission, the Assam government, and the SSDN. Its service delivery model, titled ‘Integrated People-Centred Eye Care’, will be based on the SSDN’s community service framework and is envisioned to serve as a prototype within the WHO’s global initiatives, the statement said.

“We have organised a workshop on November 21 and 22 where senior officers of the WHO headquarters in Geneva and elsewhere, key officials from the governments of India and Assam, and prominent leaders in community and preventive ophthalmology across the country, apart from members of the Global SPECS network are expected to participate,” an SSDN spokesperson said.

“Together, an action plan will be devised for the successful rollout of this pioneering community-based public health initiative. The project will initially focus on saturating refractive care services in three districts — Kamrup, Morigaon, and Nagaon — before expanding the model,” she said.

A WHO official said only 36% of individuals with refractive errors currently have access to appropriate spectacles, leaving a significant majority underserved, particularly in low- and middle-income regions. This lack of access not only impairs quality of life but also imposes a massive economic burden, with vision-related productivity losses estimated at $411 billion annually.

The SSDN innovated and adopted a community-centric approach, which facilitated grassroots-level screening and transportation to base hospitals, and shouldered the entire treatment cost for patients. However, “limitations of opportunistic outreach services” in terms of spectacle delivery, coverage, and post-surgery monitoring made the ophthalmology-specific healthcare institution pivot towards a hospital-based community eye care programme through its pilot project at Sonapur, about 30 km east of Guwahati.

The initiative included village adoption, enumeration, and screening, aiming to cover 100% of the population in the adopted villages. “Through the SPECS 2030 programme, WHO and SSDN aim to establish a scalable and sustainable healthcare model that can be initiated across India and the world, contributing to better health outcomes and improved quality of life for millions of people in the process,” the spokesperson said.

Almost everyone in India is now vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, former chief scientist of the World Health Organisation Dr Soumya Swaminathan has said, underscoring the urgent need for cross-ministerial and international collaboration to address its effects on health, gender and economic stability in the country.

Swaminathan pointed to women and children as especially vulnerable to these climate-driven health risks.

In an interview with PTI on the sidelines of global climate talks COP29 here in Azerbaijan’s capital, Swaminathan called for a concerted approach, saying, “practically everyone in India is now vulnerable to climate change impacts, from extreme heat to vector-borne diseases. Addressing this requires close cooperation.”

“We know that climate change has disproportionate impacts on women and children,” she explained, noting how women, particularly in rural areas, face increased health risks due to continued reliance on solid fuels for cooking.

She emphasised that “access to clean energy for everyone is a priority.”

This, she argued, would not only reduce health risks associated with indoor air pollution but also lessen India’s carbon footprint, marking a crucial step toward sustainable development.

Climate-related health risks in India are varied, ranging from immediate effects such as respiratory illnesses due to air pollution, to long-term issues like malnutrition stemming from disrupted agricultural cycles.

Swaminathan noted that more than 80 per cent of India’s population is now exposed to these risks, emphasizing that “everybody is now vulnerable,” from rural farmers to urban migrants.

She highlighted the specific challenges faced by the urban poor, especially migrants who live in peri-urban areas with inadequate housing and sanitation, which exposes them to greater risks during floods and extreme weather events.

With health as a central theme, Swaminathan stressed the benefits of green public transportation, an initiative she described as a “win-win solution.”

“Carbon-neutral public transport will not only reduce air pollution but also promote physical activity and thereby improve health,” she said, adding that reducing pollution would positively impact public health by curbing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

She also highlighted that India’s urban centres are hotspots for these health issues due to dense populations and high pollution levels.

Swaminathan called for policies that integrate both health and climate objectives, stressing that this approach can drive development while building resilience against climate risks.

“If we do that kind of analysis, we can invest in actions that promote both development and reduce our carbon footprint,” she noted, advocating for policies that prioritise “development with a climate-resilient focus.”

Examples of such integrated actions include promoting clean cooking fuels, improving access to safe drinking water, and investing in infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather.

Dr Swaminathan went further to advocate for a gendered approach to climate policy, urging policymakers to “put a spotlight on women but also the poorest communities.”

She argued that gender equity and social equity are essential to effective climate policy, explaining that “by taking a gendered perspective in all policies, we can ensure more inclusive and effective climate action.”

Swaminathan called for greater research on climate impacts that are gender-specific, noting that this data would help policymakers create more targeted, meaningful interventions.

The economic costs of climate-driven health impacts are also severe.

Swaminathan pointed to recent studies indicating that climate-related air pollution alone costs the global economy trillions of dollars annually, affecting productivity, agriculture, and even tourism.

“If you look at the GDP loss and workplace productivity lost due to air pollution, it’s enormous – in the trillions,” she said. This, she argued, makes climate action not just a moral imperative but an economic necessity.

Addressing air pollution as a cross-border issue, Swaminathan noted that pollution does not recognise borders, making it crucial for India and other nations to engage in global collaborations.

“Air pollution today is the single largest risk factor to health,” she said, adding “It’s not a problem one country can solve on its own.”

She referenced the Our Common Air (OCA) Commission, a global effort she is part of, which has been working with international bodies like WHO and UNEP to promote global standards and monitoring mechanisms for air quality.

“We need a system where every country has air quality monitors and updates its data, including on super pollutants like methane and black carbon,” Swaminathan said, adding that these pollutants are highly dangerous yet often overlooked.

Swaminathan further explained the value of local data, which she argued would give a more accurate picture of pollution’s impact on different regions of India.

“Policymakers want to see data from their own regions; it makes the issue real for them and helps design local solutions,” she said.

Reflecting on the invisible nature of pollution’s health impacts, Swaminathan commented, “When the air pollution is visible, people recognize it as a problem, but often it’s invisible, and people become accustomed to it.”

She stressed that while death rates from pollution-related illnesses are often discussed, policymakers should focus on the widespread chronic illnesses caused by poor air quality.

“It’s not only about death – it’s about chronic ill health that impacts quality of life and productivity,” she said, pointing out that young children and the elderly are especially vulnerable.

For Swaminathan, tackling climate change is fundamentally linked to India’s development goals.

“For us, development is still a key priority,” she asserted. While India has made strides in increasing access to electricity and clean water, she stressed that much work remains, especially in rural areas where communities lack basic infrastructure.

Her vision for India’s climate adaptation involves not only mitigating health risks but also ensuring that development initiatives – from housing to sanitation – are climate-resilient.

Swaminathan expressed optimism about India’s potential to lead in climate adaptation through innovation, global cooperation, and commitment to sustainable development goals.

She pointed to Indian cities as potential leaders in air quality initiatives and green infrastructure, stating that “India can be a model for sustainable urbanization if we prioritize both development and environmental health.”

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

The South-East Asia Region was experiencing rapid demographic transition with urbanisation and economic growth further driving unhealthy diets, reduced physical activity and more sedentary lifestyles. Image for representation.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday (September 17, 2024) called on countries in the global health body’s ‘South-East Asia Region’ to strengthen policies and promote healthy diets and physical activity to combat the rising numbers of overweight individuals, obesity, and the spread of non-communicable diseases, which are leading causes of death in the region.

Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO, South-East Asia, speaking at the inaugural event of a regional meeting to “promote healthy diets and food environments, and physical activity through policies and enabling environments” said that the burden of being overweight, obese, and their associated metabolic disorders has been steadily rising in the region, affecting both children and adults.

Ms. Wazed added that the trends had fuelled a surge in non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, which were responsible for nearly two-thirds of all deaths in the region.

The South-East Asia Region was experiencing rapid demographic transition with urbanisation and economic growth further driving unhealthy diets, reduced physical activity and more sedentary lifestyles. 

“Healthy diets and regular physical activity are fundamental to achieving this target. However, this requires more than knowledge and behaviour change — it calls for creating enabling environments that support and encourage healthier choices,” Ms. Wazed said.

“Strong regulatory frameworks and policies are crucial for creating healthier food environments at home, school, retail and digital spaces, as well as safe recreational areas and walkways, especially in urban settings. Fiscal policies should also incentivise healthy diets,” she said.

“Several countries in the region have already made significant progress by introducing food labelling regulations, banning trans fats in food, and implementing taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, but further action is necessary,’’ the WHO said in a statement.