Illustration of the country with the largest TB rate in the world.
Based on data from the Global TB Report 2025 released by WHO on November 12, the world's elimination of tuberculosis (TB) is still far from the target. One of the obstacles is funding that is not commensurate with needs.
Since 2020, international funding for TB has tended to stagnate as many countries diverted their health resources to treating Covid-19. In 2023, vaccine research, drug development and TB diagnostic tools require US$ 5 billion, but only US$ 1.2 billion has been realized. As a result, innovation in TB treatment is moving slowly as the number of drug-resistant TB continues to increase.
Then in 2025, the weakening of global funding was exacerbated by the United States' decision to freeze grants to USAID and the Global Fund.
On the other hand, domestic funding figures in lower middle income countries appear high because they are supported by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS). These five countries have stronger economies than other lower middle income countries, so they are able to allocate large funds for TB treatment in their own countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) noted that the world needs US$ 22 billion per year or the equivalent of IDR 368.126 trillion to carry out TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment programs. However, in 2024, available funds will only reach 27% of needs, namely around US$ 5.9 billion or the equivalent of IDR 98.74 trillion.
If this continues in the following years, drug supplies will be threatened, health workers will be limited, and TB case detection will be low. In fact, TB is still the largest infectious cause of death in the world and contributes to 1.23 million deaths in 2024.
Now, WHO is worried that TB will add 2 million deaths and infect 10 million people in the world in 2025-2030. For this reason, WHO encourages countries with the highest TB burden in the world to increase domestic financing so that they do not depend on international donors.