Each year on 24 March, the global community marks World Tuberculosis (TB) Day to raise awareness of the ongoing impact of TB and accelerate progress towards eliminating the disease. The day commemorates the discovery of the TB bacterium by Dr Robert Koch in 1882 and provides an opportunity to reflect on the work still needed to end one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases.
The theme for World TB Day 2026, led by the Stop TB Partnership and global partners, reflects a shift from reaffirming global ambition to turning commitments into action. It is an editable slogan, “Yes! We Can End TB. Led by […]. Powered by […].”
For us at the Australian Respiratory Council, the theme translates to “Yes! We Can End TB. Led by Asia Pacific TB Programmes. Powered by TB advocates.”
A global challenge that remains urgent
Despite being preventable and curable, TB remains a major global public health challenge. According to the Global Tuberculosis Report 2025 published by the World Health Organization (WHO), 10.7 million people developed TB worldwide in 2024, and 1.23 million people died from the disease, making it the leading cause of death from a single infectious disease.
Progress towards global targets has slowed in recent years, with the number of people developing TB each year declining far more slowly than needed to meet the End TB goals.
Why TB in our region matters to Australia
For Australia, TB is not only a global issue but a regional health priority. Countries in the Western Pacific region carry a significant share of the global TB burden, accounting for nearly 20% of people who develop TB worldwide, and close geographic, economic and community links mean that regional progress is critical to achieving TB elimination in Australia.
Indonesia, one of Australia’s closest neighbours, has the second-highest TB burden in the world, accounting for around 10% of people who develop TB globally. Approximately one million people develop TB in Indonesia each year, highlighting the scale of the challenge and the importance of sustained regional collaboration.
Drug-resistant TB in Papua New Guinea
In the Pacific, Papua New Guinea (PNG) faces one of the region’s most significant TB challenges. PNG is listed among the WHO’s high-burden countries for TB and drug-resistant TB, where around 432 people develop TB for every 100,000 people.
Drug-resistant TB is a growing concern. Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) is harder and more expensive to treat and can spread within communities when diagnosis and treatment are delayed.
Kiribati: One of the highest TB rates in the world
Several Pacific Island nations continue to experience extremely high rates of people developing TB. In Kiribati, TB remains a major public health issue, where in some communities up to 900 people develop TB for every 100,000 people in the population, among the highest recorded globally.
This reflects intense community transmission and the need for innovative approaches such as population-wide screening and preventive treatment.
The Australian Respiratory Council is a key partner of the PEARL Project, which has been working in partnership with Kiribati health authorities and international partners to strengthen TB detection, prevention and care.
Working together to end TB in the Pacific
Across the Pacific region, the Australian Respiratory Council also works with other nations that have a high burden of TB, these nations include the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia. TB programs within the Pacific face complex challenges including geographic isolation, limited health infrastructure and workforce shortages. Strengthening TB prevention and care therefore requires sustained investment.
For Australia, supporting TB prevention and care in our region is both a public health priority and a shared responsibility. Regional partnerships, research collaborations and capacity-building initiatives play a vital role in helping countries strengthen their TB responses.
Looking ahead
World TB Day 2026 is a reminder that ending TB will require collective action. While progress has been made globally, the continued high burden in countries across our region – including Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati and other Pacific Islands – underscores the importance of sustained commitment and collaboration.
By working together across borders and investing in evidence-based solutions, we can move closer to the shared goal of ending TB – which is possible, if we collectively commit and work together.
