WHO has published a global TB report every year since 1997. The main aim of the report is to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the TB epidemic, and of progress in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease, at global, regional and country levels. This is done in the context of recommended global TB strategies and targets endorsed by WHO’s Member States, broader development goals set by the United Nations (UN) and targets set in the political declaration at the first UN high-level meeting on TB (held in September 2018) .

In 2019, data was reported by 202 countries and territories that account for more than 99% of the world’s population and estimated number of TB cases. 

Currently, the world as a whole, most WHO regions and many high TB burden countries are not on track to reach the 2020 milestones of the End TB Strategy. Globally, the average rate of decline in the TB incidence rate was 1.6% per year in the period 2000−2018, and 2.0% between 2017 and 2018. The cumulative reduction between 2015 and 2018 was only 6.3%, considerably short of the End TB Strategy milestone of a 20% reduction between 2015 and 2020. The global reduction in the total number of TB deaths between 2015 and 2018 was 11%, also less than one third of the way towards the End TB Strategy milestone of a 35% reduction by 2020. The good news is that the WHO European Region is on track to achieve the 2020 milestones for reductions in cases and death.

Access the full report here.