New York, The United Nations has officially declared tuberculosis (TB) a global public health emergency, calling on world leaders to accelerate efforts to eliminate the disease by 2030.
Speaking at a high-level meeting during the UN General Assembly, Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that TB remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, despite being preventable and curable. He urged governments to commit to equitable access to diagnosis and treatment, invest in research and innovation, and ensure accountability through measurable targets.
The meeting featured testimonies from TB survivors, health ministers, and civil society leaders, all advocating for stronger integration of TB services into universal health coverage and pandemic preparedness strategies.
The new Political Declaration on TB sets ambitious goals for funding, outreach, and policy reform, aiming to close treatment gaps and reach underserved communities. According to the World Health Organization, TB claimed 1.3 million lives in 2022, and millions more remain undiagnosed.
Guterres called the fight against TB “a test of global solidarity,” urging nations to act decisively and inclusively to end the epidemic.