WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2026 Key Findings and India Data

The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Report 2026, released on 12 November 2026, highlights a gradual decline in the global burden of tuberculosis (TB), but warns that progress remains too slow to achieve the global elimination targets.

For India, the report records a 38% reduction in TB mortality since 2015, compared with a global decline of 35%, and a 94% treatment success rate among patients with drug-susceptible TB. However, India continues to account for nearly one-fourth of global TB cases, underlining the need for sustained efforts towards a TB-Mukt Bharat.

What is Tuberculosis (TB)?

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It most commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary TB), but can also affect other parts of the body, including the brain, kidneys and spine (extrapulmonary TB).

• Transmission: TB spreads through the air when a person with infectious pulmonary TB releases bacteria by coughing, sneezing or spitting.
• Common symptoms: Persistent cough, fever, night sweats, weight loss, fatigue and loss of appetite.
• Risk factors: Undernutrition, diabetes, HIV infection, tobacco use, alcohol use disorders and conditions that weaken the immune system increase the risk of developing TB.
• Prevention and treatment: TB is preventable and curable. It is treated with a combination of anti-TB medicines taken for the prescribed duration.

Key Findings of the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2026

The report presents global and regional estimates of TB incidence, mortality, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and financing for 2025.

1. Global TB Burden

• New cases: An estimated 10.6 million people developed TB globally in 2025, including 5.7 million men, 3.7 million women and 1.2 million children.
• Deaths: Around 1.13 million people died from TB in 2025, including approximately 1 million people without HIV and 1.37 lakh people living with HIV.
• Leading infectious killer: TB remained the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent.
• Geographical concentration: Around 88% of new TB cases occurred in 30 high-burden countries.
• Major contributors: India accounted for approximately one-fourth of global cases, followed by Indonesia (10%), the Philippines (6.8%), China (6.5%), Pakistan (6.4%), Nigeria (4.9%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (3.9%) and Bangladesh (3.7%).

2. Progress in Reducing TB Incidence and Mortality

Global TB incidence and mortality have declined since 2015, but progress remains slower than the targets set under the WHO End TB Strategy.

• TB incidence: The global TB incidence rate declined by 14% between 2015 and 2025, reaching 129 new cases per lakh population in 2025.
• TB mortality: The number of TB deaths declined by 35% between 2015 and 2025, achieving the first mortality milestone of the End TB Strategy, originally set for 2020.
• Lives saved: Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 86 million lives since 2000.
• Slow progress: The decline in TB incidence remains far below the 50% reduction milestone set for 2025.

3. Regional Differences in TB Incidence

Progress in reducing TB incidence has varied considerably across WHO regions between 2015 and 2025.

The WHO South-East Asia Region accounted for the largest share of new TB cases globally (35%), followed by the Western Pacific Region (27%) and the African Region (25%).

4. Gaps in Diagnosis and Treatment

Despite improvements in case detection, millions of people with TB remain undiagnosed or unreported.

• Of the estimated 10.6 million people who developed TB in 2025, only 8.4 million were diagnosed and officially notified.
• Around 2.2 million people were either undiagnosed or not reported to health authorities.
• Only 59% of newly diagnosed patients were initially tested using a WHO-recommended rapid diagnostic test, against the target of 100% by 2027.
• The global treatment success rate among patients with drug-susceptible TB was 90% for those who started treatment in 2024.

5. Drug-Resistant TB

Drug-resistant TB occurs when TB bacteria do not respond to one or more anti-TB medicines. It makes treatment more complex and increases the risk of poor health outcomes.

• An estimated 3.7 lakh people developed rifampicin-resistant TB (RR-TB) in 2025.
• Only 42% of people who developed RR-TB received treatment.
• The use of WHO-recommended six-month treatment regimens among patients treated for RR-TB increased from 18% in 2024 to 42% in 2025.
• The global treatment success rate for patients with RR-TB who started treatment in 2023 was 70%.

Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), particularly resistance to both rifampicin and isoniazid, remains a major public health challenge.

6. TB Prevention and Screening

TB prevention involves identifying people at risk of developing the disease and providing appropriate preventive treatment.

• TB preventive treatment (TPT): It is given to people at high risk of developing active TB, including people living with HIV and household contacts of people with infectious pulmonary TB, after active disease has been ruled out.
• BCG vaccine: The Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine provides protection, particularly against severe forms of TB in children.
• Coverage gaps: The WHO report highlights that preventive treatment coverage remains below the targets set for 2027, with coverage at 44% among eligible people living with HIV and 26% among household contacts.

7. Financing and Research Gaps

The report highlights the need for greater domestic investment and international support to sustain TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

• TB programme funding: Around US$ 6.6 billion was available for TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care in low- and middle-income countries in 2025, against the annual target of US$ 22 billion by 2027.
• Domestic funding: Domestic sources contributed approximately US$ 5.6 billion, accounting for most of the available funding.
• International funding: International donor funding declined between 2024 and 2025, partly offsetting the increase in domestic investment.
• Research funding: TB research received US$ 1.2 billion in 2023, only 24% of the US$ 5 billion annual target for 2027.

Greater investment is needed to develop new vaccines, rapid diagnostic tools and more effective treatment regimens.

‹ ›

India’s Performance in the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2026

India continues to account for nearly one-fourth of the global TB burden. The WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2026 highlights progress in reducing mortality and improving treatment outcomes, alongside gaps in disease surveillance and case detection.

Key Findings on India

• Share of global TB burden: India accounted for approximately 25% of global TB cases in 2025, the highest among all countries. India, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Bangladesh together accounted for about two-thirds of global cases.
• Decline in TB mortality: India’s estimated TB mortality rate declined by 38% between 2015 and 2025, from 28 to 18 deaths per lakh population. This is higher than the global decline of 35%. India has therefore achieved the End TB Strategy’s first mortality milestone, five years behind its 2020 deadline.
• Treatment success: India recorded a 94% treatment success rate among patients with drug-susceptible TB.
• Reported cases and deaths: India reported 25.3 lakh TB cases and 2.63 lakh TB-related deaths in 2025, compared with 26.18 lakh cases and just over 3 lakh deaths in 2024.
• Incidence estimates under review: India’s estimated TB incidence is not included in the 2026 report. The estimates are under review pending the finalisation and use of district-level sentinel surveillance data. Updated estimates are expected in early 2027.
• District-level surveillance: A population-level TB prevalence survey was conducted in 50 representative districts in 2025. The data are being analysed and will be compared with the previous national TB prevalence survey (2020–21) before revised estimates are finalised. District-level surveillance can be repeated more frequently than resource-intensive national surveys.
• Gap in disease detection: The difference between estimated TB incidence and reported cases indicates the number of people who may remain undiagnosed and untreated, potentially continuing to transmit the infection. Reliable incidence estimates are therefore important for assessing the actual disease burden.

Government Interventions and Programme Outcomes

• TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan: The campaign brought over 25 crore people within the scope of screening between 7 December 2024 and 8 November 2026. It included more than 11 crore chest X-rays and over 3 crore NAAT tests.
• Detection of asymptomatic cases: The campaign identified 48.64 lakh TB cases, including 14.97 lakh asymptomatic cases, highlighting the importance of proactive screening among vulnerable populations.
• AI-enabled diagnosis and monitoring: The National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) uses AI-enabled X-rays, hotspot identification and tools to predict high-risk patients. The Khushi AI Chatbot and Avatar Videobot also support awareness and engagement.
• Nutritional and community support: The Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana provides nutritional assistance to TB patients, while the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative mobilises individuals and organisations to support patients during treatment.
• TB-free Panchayats: 67,933 Panchayats were declared TB-free in 2025, reflecting grassroots participation in the TB elimination effort.
• Domestic financing: Around 96% of India’s TB programme funding requirements are met through domestic resources.
• Youth participation: JOSH Teams are being formed at block and ward levels under designated Class-I officers, with support from NCC cadets and MY Bharat volunteers, to strengthen awareness and community mobilisation.

Major Government Initiatives to Eliminate TB in India

India’s TB response is implemented primarily through the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), supported by initiatives focusing on early detection, treatment, nutrition and community participation.

Challenges in Eliminating Tuberculosis in India

Despite progress in mortality reduction and treatment outcomes, India faces several challenges in achieving TB elimination.

1. High disease burden: India continues to account for a substantial share of global TB cases and deaths.
2. Undetected cases: Asymptomatic infections, diagnostic delays and gaps in access to healthcare can lead to continued transmission.
3. Drug-resistant TB: MDR-TB and other forms of drug-resistant TB require specialised diagnosis, medicines and sustained treatment adherence.
4. Social determinants: Poverty, undernutrition, overcrowding, poor living conditions and limited access to healthcare increase vulnerability to TB.
5. Comorbidities: Diabetes, HIV and tobacco use can increase the risk of developing TB and complicate treatment.
6. Out-of-pocket expenditure: Travel, loss of wages and other indirect costs can create financial hardship for patients and their households. Globally, around half of people treated for TB and their households face catastrophic total costs, defined as costs exceeding 20% of annual household income.
7. Private-sector reporting: Strengthening coordination between public and private healthcare providers is important to ensure complete case notification and continuity of care.
8. Funding and research gaps: Sustained domestic investment and greater funding for research are essential to develop better diagnostics, vaccines and treatment regimens.

WHO End TB Strategy and Global Targets

The WHO End TB Strategy provides a global framework to end the TB epidemic. It is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG Target 3.3, which calls for ending the TB epidemic by 2030.

The WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2026 shows that the world achieved the first mortality milestone five years late. However, the 2025 milestones for reducing TB incidence and mortality remain far from being achieved globally.

Way Forward

Achieving TB elimination requires a comprehensive approach that addresses both medical and social determinants of the disease.

• Strengthen early detection: Expand community-based screening, AI-assisted chest X-rays and rapid molecular diagnostic facilities, particularly in high-burden districts.
• Improve treatment access: Ensure timely treatment initiation, uninterrupted drug supplies and regular follow-up to prevent treatment interruption and drug resistance.
• Expand preventive treatment: Strengthen screening of household contacts and other high-risk groups, followed by appropriate TB preventive treatment.
• Address undernutrition: Integrate nutritional support with TB diagnosis and treatment, while addressing poverty and food insecurity.
• Strengthen public-private partnerships: Improve case notification, referral systems and quality of care across public and private healthcare facilities.
• Increase sustainable financing: Protect domestic funding and strengthen health systems to reduce dependence on uncertain international assistance.
• Promote research and innovation: Invest in new vaccines, faster diagnostic tools and shorter, safer treatment regimens.
• Reduce financial hardship: Improve social protection and support for patients and their households to prevent catastrophic costs.
• Strengthen community participation: Involve local governments, civil society, educational institutions and citizens in awareness and patient support.