The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning: drastic funding reductions, spearheaded by the United States, are reversing decades of progress in the global battle against tuberculosis (TB), the world’s deadliest infectious disease.
The agency’s alert highlights the rapid disintegration of crucial prevention, testing, and treatment services, placing millions of lives in jeopardy.
The most severely affected regions are Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific, where national TB programs are heavily reliant on international financial support.
“Any disruption to TB services – whether financial, political or operational – can have devastating and often fatal consequences for millions worldwide,” stated Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO Global Programme on TB and Lung Health, in a somber announcement on Wednesday.
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The urgency of the situation was previously underscored by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on February 24th, who also sounded the alarm regarding funding cuts and their immediate repercussions on critical health programs addressing HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and cholera.
Over the past twenty years, global TB initiatives have saved more than 79 million lives, with approximately 3.65 million deaths averted in the preceding year alone. A significant driver of this success has been the substantial financial support from the U.S. government, which has contributed approximately $200 to $250 million annually, representing about a quarter of total international donor funding. The U.S. has historically been the largest bilateral donor for these vital programs.
However, newly implemented executive order cuts for 2025 are poised to inflict devastating consequences on TB response efforts in at least 18 high-burden countries, where 89 percent of anticipated U.S. funding was earmarked for direct patient care. The impact is expected to be particularly catastrophic in Africa, where treatment disruptions and staff layoffs could lead to an exponential surge in TB transmission rates.
Early reports from TB-affected nations already reveal the dismantling of essential health services due to these funding constraints. Among the most pressing concerns are the layoff of health workers, shortages of essential drugs, breakdowns in supply chains, the collapse of data and surveillance systems, and disruptions to vital TB research.
“Without immediate action, hard-won progress in the fight against TB is at risk. Our collective response must be swift, strategic, and fully resourced to protect the most vulnerable and maintain momentum toward ending TB,” Kasaeva emphasized.
Source: Ripples
