Tuberculosis (TB)
World TB Day 2026 — Accelerating Action to End TB in Africa
World TB Day, commemorated on 24 March each year, offers an important opportunity to raise awareness about tuberculosis (TB) and to reflect on progress and remaining challenges in ending this centuries-old disease. It also serves to mobilize political commitment, social action, and investment toward achieving the End TB Strategy targets.
According to the 2025 WHO Global Tuberculosis Report, TB remains among the top ten causes of death globally and continues to be the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent, above HIV/AIDS. The African Region accounts for approximately one-third of global TB deaths, reflecting the high burden and persistent inequities in access to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention services.
The region has, however, made important strides in expanding the use of rapid molecular diagnostics, digital X-ray with AI-powered screening, and community-based TB care. Despite these achievements, challenges remain—particularly the increase in multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases, which threaten to reverse recent gains and pose a serious public health security concern.
World TB Day provides a platform for people affected by TB, communities, civil society, policy-makers, and partners to renew commitments and strengthen collaboration for equitable and sustainable TB responses. In 2026, WHO urges all countries in the African Region to accelerate action, invest in innovation, and scale up preventive treatment, ensuring that no one is left behind in the journey to end TB.
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs. Tuberculosis is curable and preventable.
TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected.
About one-third of the world's population has latent TB, which means people have been infected by TB bacteria but are not (yet) ill with the disease and cannot transmit the disease.
People infected with TB bacteria have a 10% lifetime risk of falling ill with TB. However, persons with compromised immune systems, such as people living with HIV, malnutrition or diabetes, or people who use tobacco, have a much higher risk of falling ill.
When a person develops active TB disease, the symptoms (such as cough, fever, night sweats, or weight loss) may be mild for many months. This can lead to delays in seeking care, and results in transmission of the bacteria to others. People with active TB can infect 10–15 other people through close contact over the course of a year. Without proper treatment, 45% of HIV-negative people with TB on average and nearly all HIV-positive people with TB will die.
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2023 Annual Report: Universal Health Coverage, Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases (UCN) Cluster, WHO Regional Office for Africa
This is the second progress report produced by the Universal Health Coverage, Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases (UCN) Cluster of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa.
