World Tuberculosis Day

The world leaders at the 2023 United Nations High-Level Meeting pledged to accelerate efforts to end TB . Now, we need real action : rapid implementation of WHO guidance and policies , strengthened national strategies, and full funding.

Under the theme 'Yes! We can end TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver'' the evenr to observe the  World TB Day 2025:  will be held on March 24th, 2025. CALL TO ACTION General public Educate yourself on TB causes, symptoms and prevention. Don't believe in myths or misinformation. Stand up against TB stigma and discrimination. Ministries of Health, TB programme managers and other public health leaders Allocate resources to improve the quality of TB diagnosis, prevention, treatment and care services and make them more resilient and sustainable; Support and empower health workers to deliver high-quality TB services in line with WHO recommendations. Ensure adequate training and up-to-date information sharing for health workers on the latest WHO recommendations on TB services Health Workers Incorporate essential TB services into routine health interventions. Deliver care that is kind, respectful of human rights, and without stigma. Community leaders Ensure essential TB services are ma...

The World Health Organization (WHO) is organizing a special Talk Show to commemorate World TB Day on 24 March 2025 at 13:30 CET. The spotlight this year, under the theme ‘Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver’ - is a strong call for hope, urgency, and accountability. Heads of State at the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on TB made bold, ambitious commitments to accelerate the global fight against tuberculosis, setting concrete, measurable targets for 2027. While these pledges represent a significant milestone, sustained and intensified action is critical. Scaling up interventions requires strong policies, comprehensive national strategies, and substantial financial investment to drive impact at global, regional, and national levels. The event will take place in a talk-show format with speakers joining in person or connected by video on WHO’s interactive web-platform – End TB Forum. The main speakers will include WHO leadership, Ministers, leaders and other high-level government re...

The 2025 Global #EndTBRun Challenge will be held from February 24th to March 31st.   Join a global movement to raise awareness for World TB Day this March, by running, walking, or cycling a route that forms the shape of “ENDTB” on the map!  Wherever you are, create your unique #ENDTB Loop and make TB history. How you can Run to #EndTB: Anyone, anywhere can participate! The challenge is to design and complete a route that spells “ENDTB” on a fitness tracking app (like Runkeeper, Strava, or any GPS-based app). How you can Run to #EndTB How to Participate:Plan your “ENDTB” route – Find streets, parks, or trails where you can map out the letters. Run, walk, or cycle your loop – Complete your route while tracking with a GPS app. Get creative! – Wear something eye-catching (End TB sign, big hat, big shoes, or even a penguin costume! Share your achievement – Post a screenshot of your “ENDTB” route with hashtag #EndTBRun and tag others to join. Challenge your community – Encourage f...

The World TB Day 2025  toolkit contains materials and resources which can be used to lead up activities and outreach.  Get the Advocacy and communication toolkit!

Turning commitments into action means scaling up proven WHO-recommended interventions : early detection, diagnosis , preventive treatment , and high-quality TB care , particularly for drug-resistant TB. Success depends on community leadership, civil society action, and cross-sector collaboration.

Tuberculosis cannot be defeated without proper financing. We need a bold, diversified approach to fund innovation, to close gaps in access to TB prevention , treatment and care , as well as to advance research and innovation . To meet End TB targets , it is imperative to break the chain of transmission by closing the gaps in tuberculosis detection and subsequently ensuring that those detected can be treated and cured. Cost considerations weigh heavily when choosing between different sets of interventions to reach the ultimate goal of ending TB.

The observance amplifies the urgency of ending tuberculosis —the world’s deadliest infectious disease. TB continues to devastate millions globally, inflicting severe health, social, and economic consequences. This year’s theme, Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver , is a bold call for hope, urgency, and accountability .    

  The date of March 24th marks the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of the bacterium that causes TB , which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease.

  Facts and Figures on Tuberculosis. TB remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious killers. Each day, close to 3425 people lose their lives to TB and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 79 million lives since the year 2000. There was a significant worldwide recovery in the scale-up of TB diagnosis and treatment services in 2022. It shows an encouraging trend starting to reverse the detrimental effects of COVID-19 disruptions on TB services. In its latest Global Tuberculosis Report, WHO highlighted that more than 8.2 million people with TB received access to diagnosis and treatment in 2023 up from 7.5 million in 2022 and far above the levels of 5.8 million in 2020 and 6.4 million in 2021. There is still a large global gap between the estimated number of people who fell ill with TB and the number of people newly diagnosed. In addition, the UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting agreed on n...