• 1. Public Health Clinical Centre of Chengdu, Chengdu, 610061, P. R. China;
  • 2. Department of Public Health, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610500, P. R. China;
YAO Xiaojun, Email: flyingyao@163.com
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Tuberculosis (TB) is a major global public health threat. The World Health Organization’s 2020-2024 Global TB Reports cover the TB situation from 2019 to 2023. In 2023, TB re-emerged as the world’s leading infectious killer, with an estimated 10.8 million new cases. The growth in the incidence rate has slowed, and the number of deaths decreased to 1.25 million. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted TB control efforts in 2020-2021; as control measures are gradually restored, TB control is showing a positive trend. However, significant regional disparities in incidence persist, with eight high-burden countries, including India and China, accounting for over two-thirds of the global total. In 2023, the global treatment coverage for drug-resistant TB was 44% with a treatment success rate of 68%, but with 400 000 new drug-resistant cases, the control situation remains severe. China has made remarkable progress in TB control: new cases fell to 741 000 in 2023 (an incidence of 52 per 100 000); mortality decreased significantly; the proportion of drug-resistant cases dropped from 14% to 7.3%; and the TB/HIV co-infection rate fell from 1.68% to 0.66%, outperforming the global average. Globally, control measures continue to improve: global treatment coverage increased from 70% in 2019 to 75% in 2023, the number of people receiving preventive therapy grew to 4.7 million, and rapid diagnostic coverage reached 48%. In China, the number of patients treated recovered to 564 900 in 2023, and the rapid diagnostic coverage rate rose to 74%. While technological innovations have enhanced the efficiency of prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and management, achieving the 2030 end TB goals will require strengthening TB management, building primary healthcare capacity, and targeting interventions for high-risk populations, while balancing resource allocation with technological innovation to address the challenges of a heterogeneous global epidemic.

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