WHO Reports 1.13 Million TB Deaths in 2025 as Donor Funding Falls 14 Percent

Last year's report said only US$5.9 billion was available for prevention, diagnosis and treatment, about a quarter of the US$22 billion annual target for 2027, and modelled that sustained donor cuts could cause up to 2 million additional deaths between 2025 and 2035. This year's report does not appear to ease that concern.

What improved in testing and treatment?

The share of newly diagnosed people first tested with a WHO-recommended rapid test reached 59 percent of 8.4 million people, up from 48 percent in 2023, Forbes reports. For rifampicin-resistant TB, the TB Alliance says the use of six-month all-oral regimens more than doubled, from 18 percent of those treated in 2024 to 42 percent in 2025. It adds that only 42 percent of estimated rifampicin-resistant cases were enrolled in treatment at all, so most people with the drug-resistant form still are not reached.

What should readers know about TB itself?

WHO's fact sheet describes TB as preventable and curable. It spreads through the air, and symptoms include a cough lasting weeks, fever, night sweats, weight loss and fatigue, though some people with the disease have no symptoms. Standard treatment for drug-sensitive TB is a daily course of antibiotics for 4 to 6 months, and stopping early or without medical advice can lead to drug resistance.

This article is reporting, not medical advice. Anyone with a persistent cough, who has been exposed to someone with TB or who is on treatment should talk to a clinician or local TB service who knows their history, and should not change or stop medication on their own.

The next test is funding. With donor money falling and the 2025 targets missed, the 2027 financing goal and the next annual report will show whether the slow decline can speed up.