By Ojoma Akor
The African region needs about US$4.5 billion annually to mount a comprehensive TB response the World Health Organization ( WHO) has said.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Mohamed Janabi, stated this in a statement to mark this year’s World Tuberculosis Day.
He said that current funding remains far below this level, with a US$3.6 billion shortfall.
Dr. Janabi said country leadership is essential to closing these gaps, adding that at the 2023 United Nations High-Level Meeting on tuberculosis, world leaders committed to reaching 90% of people affected by TB with prevention and care services, reducing TB deaths by 90%, and eliminating catastrophic costs for affected households by 2027.
He said, “Delivering on these commitments requires sustained political will, increased domestic financing, and whole-of-government action to integrate TB prevention, diagnosis, and care within stronger and more resilient health systems.
“Communities remain central to this effort. Community health workers, civil society organizations, and people affected by TB are helping to find missing cases, support treatment adherence, reduce stigma, and strengthen accountability. Their leadership ensures that national commitments translate into real progress for people and families,” he said.
The WHO regional representative said every 83 seconds, tuberculosis (TB) claims a life in the WHO African Region.
He also said that in 2024 alone, TB killed 378,000 people and infected 2.7 million more, representing one quarter of the global burden. Yet, amidst this crisis lies unprecedented opportunity, he added.
While noting that the African region has already made significant progress, he said that between 2015 and 2024, TB deaths declined by 46% and TB incidence fell by 28%.
“Several countries have reached key global milestones: South Africa met the 2025 target for reducing TB incidence, while Mozambique, Tanzania, Togo, and Zambia achieved a 75% reduction in TB deaths,” he said.
He highlighted that rapid diagnostic technologies are being scaled up, and that shorter, more effective six-month all-oral treatment regimens are transforming outcomes for people with drug-resistant TB.
According to him, the revolutionary six-month all-oral BPaLM regimen has achieved success rates exceeding 85%, with the African Region leading global uptake.
He further explained that between 2023 and 2024, the proportion of drug-resistant patients receiving six-month regimens surged from almost zero to about 40%, the fastest adoption rate of any WHO region.
This progress Dr Janabi said, demonstrates that determined leadership, strengthened health systems, and community engagement can deliver measurable results.
He said, “At the same time, major gaps continue to slow progress. Each year, an estimated 600,000 people with TB in the African Region are not diagnosed or treated. Only just over half of all patients have access to WHO-recommended rapid diagnostic tests, leaving hundreds of thousands undiagnosed or diagnosed too late. In addition, an estimated 62,000 people still develop rifampicin-resistant TB annually.”
He added that WHO remains committed to supporting Member States through technical guidance, capacity strengthening, and partnership.
“We will continue working with countries to expand access to rapid diagnostics, accelerate the rollout of improved treatment regimens, strengthen laboratory and surveillance systems, and integrate TB services within primary health care,” he stated.
He called on governments to increase domestic investment and accelerate implementation of national TB strategies, in line with the commitments made at the UN High-Level Meeting.
He said, ” I call on partners and donors to help close the critical funding gap and support country-led priorities. And I call on communities and civil society to continue their essential role in reaching vulnerable populations, and holding us all accountable.”
