World Tuberculosis Day 2020 - It’s time to End TB

24 March 2020

Each year, we commemorate World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on March 24 to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of TB, and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic. The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease.

TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious killer. Each day, over 4000 people lose their lives to TB and close to 30 000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 58 million lives since the year 2000. To accelerate the TB response in countries to reach targets – Heads of State came together and made strong commitments to end TB at the first-ever UN High Level Meeting in September 2018.

The theme of World TB Day 2020 - ‘It’s time’ – puts the accent on the urgency to act on the commitments made by global leaders to:

  • scale up access to prevention and treatment;

  • build accountability;

  • ensure sufficient and sustainable financing including for research;

  • promote an end to stigma and discrimination, and

  • promote an equitable, rights-based and people-centered TB response.


    • WHO has launched a joint initiative “Find. Treat. All. #EndTB” with the Global Fund and Stop TB Partnership, with the aim of accelerating the TB response and ensuring access to care, in line with WHO’s overall drive towards Universal Health Coverage. 

    This World TB Day, WHO calls on governments, affected communities, civil society organizations, health-care providers, and national/international partners to unite forces under the banner “Find. Treat. All. #EndTB” to ensure no one is left behind. 

    It’s time for action! It’s time to End TB.

    Click here to access World TB Day 2020 campaign site

     

    Join us!

    WHO World TB Day Online Talk Show 

    Please join us on 24 March at 14:00H CET/13:00H GMT for a special online talk show organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) to mark World TB Day.

    We have a powerful line-up of speakers from among TB survivors and advocates, civil society, high level government representatives, heads of agencies, researchers and partners. 

    Let us unite forces in raising our voices for the millions suffering and dying due to TB, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    It's time for action. It's time to end TB.

    Connect via YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/WHO