China has achieved a major public health breakthrough, reducing tuberculosis (TB) incidence and mortality rates by nearly 30% over the past decade, according to Thursday's announcement by the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration. Officials credited coordinated prevention strategies and sustained investment in healthcare infrastructure for surpassing global progress rates.
Since 2012, China's annual TB decline has outpaced the world average by twofold, maintaining a treatment success rate exceeding 90%. Liu Qing, a senior disease control official, outlined plans to expand screening programs and standardize treatments through 2030 under the newly launched National Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Plan.
The progress comes amid concerning global trends highlighted in the 2024 WHO TB Report, which shows worldwide funding for TB programs has fallen 16% since 2019. While China strengthens financial support policies for patients, international authorities warn that TB remains humanity's deadliest infectious disease, claiming 1.25 million lives in 2023.
Health experts note the timing coincides with renewed calls for action following World Tuberculosis Day on March 24. China's success suggests targeted screening and cross-sector collaboration could offer lessons for other high-burden regions striving to meet UN health targets.
