TB is caused by bacteria that most often affect the lungs. Every day over 3,300 people die from the disease, and Southeast Asia is responsible almost 40 percent of deaths. Nevertheless, it can be both prevented and treated, including by using the antibiotic rifampicin.
The WHO has issued new testing guidelines recommending that countries implement innovations such as new molecular diagnostic tests and tongue swabs, both of which can help with faster detection.
Quick and accurate diagnosis
The tests cost half the price of those currently available, run on battery power and deliver results in less than an hour, meaning treatment can begin sooner.
Tongue swabs allow adults and young people who cannot produce sputum to be tested for TB for the first time. Samples can therefore be easily collected, enabling detection among people who are at increased risk of dying from the disease.
“These new tools could be truly transformative for tuberculosis by bringing rapid, accurate diagnosis closer to people, save lives, limit transmission and reduce costs,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
In addition to TB, they also have the potential to test for other diseases such as HIV, mpox and HPV (human papillomavirus).
The guidelines also recommend a sputum pooling strategy, where samples from multiple individuals are mixed and tested together—an approach that can improve testing efficiency and significantly reduce costs, especially when resources are limited.
Global health funding has been cut
The WHO noted that although global efforts to fight tuberculosis have saved about 83 million lives since the year 2000, funding cuts are putting these gains at risk.
The uptake of rapid diagnostic tools has been a challenge in many countries due to factors such as high costs and reliance on sample transport to support testing at centralized laboratories.
Although the new technologies represent a critical step forward, the UN agency said ending TB will require sustained investment in research and innovation at a time when global funding for research remains far below the estimated $5 billion needed annually.
We can stop TB
The new guidelines were issued on World TB Day, which is celebrated under the theme “Yes! We can stop TB.”
WHO called on governments to speed up the roll-out of the new diagnostic tools, strengthen people-centred TB care and build resilient health systems.
They are also encouraged to tackle the social and economic drivers of the disease and protect essential TB services amid global crises and funding constraints.
Every dollar spent fighting TB generates up to $43 in health and economic returnsaccording to dr. Tereza Kasaeva, Director of the WHO Division of HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections.
“What is required now is decisive management, strategic investments and rapid implementation of WHO recommendations and innovations to save lives and protect communities,” she said.
