Global health authorities are calling for accelerated action on tuberculosis, with the World Health Organization (WHO) promoting new tools for faster and more accessible diagnosis.
On World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, the WHO is urging countries to step up efforts to end TB by expanding access to lifesaving services through innovations such as rapid diagnostic tests and tongue swab methods.
The organisation said its new guidelines on point-of-care TB testing represent a major step toward quicker detection and treatment of one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases.
It explained that the portable tests are designed to be used closer to where patients seek care, run on battery power, and deliver results in under one hour, enabling earlier treatment.
According to the Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Ghebreyesus, the innovations could significantly transform TB diagnosis globally.
“These new tools could be truly transformative for tuberculosis, by bringing fast, accurate diagnosis closer to people, saving lives, curbing transmission and reducing costs,” he said.
He urged countries to scale up access to the tools to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment for all TB patients.
WHO also noted that the new diagnostic technologies could be adapted for other diseases, including HIV, mpox, and HPV, making healthcare delivery more accessible and patient-centred.
In addition, it recommended easier sample collection methods such as tongue swabs for patients unable to produce sputum, as well as sputum pooling techniques to reduce testing costs and improve efficiency.
The organisation warned that TB remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, causing more than 3,300 deaths daily and over 29,000 new infections each day globally.
It added that although global efforts have saved about 83 million lives since 2000, funding gaps and declining support for health programmes could reverse progress if urgent action is not taken.
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