What to know
Each year on March 24, CDC joins the global community to observe World Tuberculosis (TB) Day—an important moment to reaffirm our commitment to end TB.
Annual Observance
Mar 24, 2024
Yes! We Can End TB
TB remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide, devastating entire nations and countless lives. Every day, 3,500 people across the world die preventable deaths from TB. If left undiagnosed and untreated, people living with TB can unknowingly spread the disease to others. People who are not treated for TB can potentially infect 10-15 more people each year. The threat of TB anywhere is a threat everywhere.
The theme for this year's observance, "Yes! We Can End TB," highlights the determination and enthusiasm of global partners as we continue working together to end the global TB epidemic. CDC is on the frontlines in 42 countries with high-burden of TB – partnering with ministries of health to sustain efforts to prevent, diagnose, and treat this disease. On World TB Day, and every day, CDC joins our global partners in creating a healthier and more equitable world free from TB.
Global TB Elimination Champions
CDC recognizes global organizations, individuals, and initiatives that have made significant contributions to ending TB. Click the link below for more information on their unique contributions.
New report on TB preventive treatment
CDC and our partners are spearheading efforts to expand TB preventive treatment – a proven intervention for those with HIV. Results from a recent report show that more than 13 million people living with HIV have completed the treatment from 2016 to 2023 across 36 countries supported by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Since 2017, CDC has supported over 60 percent of these individuals and over 410,000 children living with HIV in completing this lifesaving treatment.
The report also shows that with PEPFAR support, programs achieved TB preventive treatment completion rates of up to 87 percent, and people living with HIV who newly initiated treatment increased by over 40 percent.
Thanks to efforts from PEPFAR, CDC, and partners, TB preventive treatment has become the standard of care for people living with HIV. Learn more about our impact and considerations for programs going forward.
New commentary on TB and mental health
Paulina Siniatkina, a visual artist and TB survivor, was instructed never to talk about her diagnosis with anyone. Instead, she turned her treatment isolation into art to shine a spotlight on a silent driver of the global TB epidemic—mental health.
As spotlighted in the cover article of this month's Emerging Infectious Diseases, TB is a chronic multisystem infectious disease and causes a well-documented and often life-changing, reduced quality of life. Coupled with multi-month treatment that may require extended periods in isolation, it is not surprising an estimated 40-70 percent of persons treated for TB experience clinical anxiety or depression.
In recent years, mental health has become globally recognized as a part of universal healthcare, making this an opportune moment for the global community to integrate mental health services into routine care. A new commentary in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal may help serve as a framework to support mental health programming as a part of PEPFAR's current five-year strategic plan.
