World Tuberculosis (TB) Day 2025: Commit, Invest, Deliver
| Key Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | World Tuberculosis (TB) Day |
| Date Observed | March 24 (annually) |
| Theme 2025 | "Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver" |
| Purpose | Raise awareness, educate about prevention/treatment, mobilize global efforts against TB |
| History | Commemorates Dr. Robert Koch's discovery of TB bacterium (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) on March 24, 1882 |
| Impact of Discovery | Enabled TB identification, diagnosis, and treatment; marked a turning point in TB fight |
| Cause of TB | Mycobacterium tuberculosis (primarily affects lungs) |
| Transmission | Airborne (coughing, sneezing, spitting) |
| Prevention | BCG vaccination, early detection, and treatment |
| Cure | Curable with proper medication and treatment |
| Global Burden | World's deadliest infectious disease; rising drug-resistant TB cases |
| WHO European Region | 170,000+ TB cases reported in 2023; 2.1% of global TB burden; 21% of multidrug-resistant TB cases; 37% of pre-extensively drug-resistant TB cases |
| Key Event | WHO and ECDC webinar on March 19, 2025, discussing 2025 TB Surveillance Report for Europe |