Children under 15 made up 4.3% of new and relapsed tuberculosis (TB) cases in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) European region in 2023—a 10% increase from the previous year, according to a report released on Monday.
In total, over 172,000 new and relapsed TB cases were recorded across 53 countries, including several in Central Asia, that fall under WHO’s European jurisdiction. While the overall figure remained close to 2022 levels, the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) saw nearly 37,000 new diagnoses—an increase of 2,000 from the previous year, according to WHO Europe and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The report further highlighted a concerning trend: TB cases among children under 15 in the EU/EEA have been rising for three consecutive years. This ongoing transmission underscores the urgent need for reinforced public health strategies to curb the disease’s spread.
“The fight against TB is far from over,” said WHO Regional Director Hans Kluge. “The rising numbers, particularly among children, remind us how fragile progress remains against this preventable and curable disease. Ending TB is a choice we must commit to.”
Kluge also pointed to the financial strain on global TB response efforts, revealing that even before recent cuts to international development aid, there was already an $11 billion funding gap.
ECDC Director Pamela Rendi-Wagner emphasized the importance of prevention and swift intervention. “Europe must renew its focus on effective TB prevention and treatment,” she urged.
The report also flagged multidrug-resistant tuberculosis as a pressing challenge, warning that failure to act now will have long-term consequences. “With drug-resistant TB on the rise, inaction today will come at a high cost for all of us tomorrow,” Rendi-Wagner cautioned.
Both WHO Europe and the ECDC underscored the need to expand access to shorter, fully oral treatment regimens that have shown promising results in tackling drug-resistant TB. Strengthening TB testing and ensuring that preventive treatments are available to those at risk are also critical steps in reducing the disease’s impact.