WHO calls for urgent action as South-East Asia leads in tuberculosis burden

NEW DELHI: (Mar 24) The South-East Asia region continues to carry a disproportionate share of the tuberculosis burden, one of the leading infectious diseases in the world, said a World Health Organisation (WHO) official said on Tuesday.

On the World TB Day, the WHO called for stronger national leaderships, sustained investment and continued engagement of communities and people to control the spread of the disease.

In a statement, Dr Catharina Boehme, officer-in-charge, WHO South-East Asia, said, “The region accounts for approximately 34 per cent of people developing the disease globally and nearly 40 per cent of deaths. In 2024 alone, an estimated 3.68 million people developed TB, and approximately 433,000 lives were lost, including 13,000 among people living with HIV.”