We are deeply concerned about Bangladesh's less-than-impressive performance in tackling tuberculosis (TB) over the last 10 years. According to a report in this daily, the country, which signed on to meet the World Health Organization's (WHO) End TB Strategy in 2015, is struggling to bring down the TB incidence rate to meet the 2025 targets. Bangladesh remains one of seven countries with high incidence rates of both ordinary and drug-resistant TB.

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TB prevalence high in Sylhet

Per the WHO targets, by 2025, Bangladesh is supposed to reduce the TB incidence rate by 50 percent and the number of TB deaths by 75 percent from the 2015 levels. However, the incidence rate has hardly changed over the past decade (225 per 100,000 people in 2015 to 221 per 100,000 in 2023). The number of deaths has been reduced by around 60 percent during the same period. According to the National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP), the number of TB diagnoses has risen: 3.13 lakh people were detected with TB in 2024, compared to 3.01 lakh in 2023.

Then there is the matter of "missing" cases—the number of undetected patients. According to the WHO, Bangladesh had around 78,000 missing cases in 2023. A public health expert has warned that curbing the incidence rate will be difficult unless these missing cases are addressed. This makes raising awareness and intensifying efforts to detect them crucial, as undiagnosed patients can unknowingly spread the disease.

Compounding this crisis, national efforts have reportedly hit a snag following the US government's abrupt decision to suspend its USAID programme, which funded several TB initiatives in Bangladesh. For example, a project run by icddr,b—focused on increasing TB detection among children, drug-resistant patients, and high-risk groups—is now on hold due to the funding cut. USAID's suspension is also posing a major challenge for the NTP, which relied on these funds to accelerate its work.

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WHO urges action as global tuberculosis services face crisis

Government officials claim that it won't cause much trouble, but given the situation, we remain unconvinced. What we need is a nationwide mechanism supported by local funds. The government must seek alternative funding sources to ensure that TB projects—both government and non-government—can continue uninterrupted, preventing a rise in cases and deaths. Additionally, rigorous efforts are needed to raise awareness about TB among the general populace, including disadvantaged, vulnerable, and marginalised communities, to detect and address missing cases. The health authorities must employ and strengthen all necessary measures to contain this deadly disease.