WHO GLOBAL TUBERCULOSIS REPORT 2025

NEWS

• India continues to top the list of countries with the highest tuberculosis (TB) burden, accounting for 25% of global cases, according to the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2025.
• The country’s TB incidence rate stands at 187 per 1 lakh population, showing improvement but still far from the government’s target of 77 per lakh by 2025.
• TB mortality has marginally declined to 21 per lakh, yet remains three times higher than the national elimination goal.

HIGHLIGHTS

Global Distribution of TB Burden

• Eight countries account for 67% of global TB cases:
  • India (25%), Indonesia (10%), Philippines (6.8%), China (6.5%), Pakistan (6.3%), Nigeria (4.8%), DR Congo (3.9%), and Bangladesh (3.6%).
• Five countries—India, Indonesia, Philippines, China, and Pakistan—alone contribute over 50% of the world’s TB cases.

Drug-Resistant TB: A Major Concern

• India bears 32% of global drug-resistant TB (multidrug-resistant and Rifampicin-resistant cases).
• Other major contributors: China, Philippines, and Russia.
• Positively, drug-resistant TB cases are declining, with treatment success improving from 68% to 71% in 2024.
• Over 64 lakh patients received treatment for drug-resistant TB last year.

Government Response and Progress

• The Union Health Ministry claimed India achieved a higher reduction in TB mortality than the global average.
• Treatment coverage rose to 92%, indicating improved diagnosis and reduced “missing cases.”
• 18 lakh patients were diagnosed in 2024 out of an estimated 27 lakh cases.

Policy and Global Goals

• India aims to eliminate TB by 2025, five years ahead of the UN global target of 2030.
• Despite progress, drug resistance and under-reporting remain key hurdles to eradication.