World Tuberculosis Day 2025: Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver

March 11, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL - Did you know that tuberculosis (TB), an airborne infectious disease, remains one of the leading causes of death in the world? Daily, TB claims approximately 4,100 lives, and close to 27,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. Global efforts to end TB have saved 79 million lives since 2000. Significant progress has occurred, but to be even more effective, more people need access to effective treatment and new TB infections that were missed during the pandemic need to be identified.

World TB Day is observed annually on March 24 to raise awareness and understanding about TB and its devastating health, social and economic impact on people around the world.

This year's theme, "Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver," emphasizes the need for global collaboration, strategic investment, and high-quality care to end TB.

The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) Division of TB Control seeks to prevent future cases through prompt identification and medical evaluation of contacts at risk for exposure. TB services provided include diagnostic, treatment, case management, and contact investigation for all persons in Alabama regardless of their ability to pay. ADPH also works to assure the initiation and completion of preventive therapy for those contacts diagnosed with latent TB infection. Without treatment, 1 in 10 people with latent TB infection will develop TB disease.

Claire Payne, director of the Division of TB Control, ADPH, said, "Our goal is to educate, treat and eliminate the spread of TB in Alabama."

On World TB Day, join the Division of TB Control in wearing red to raise awareness about TB. To highlight the observance, the RSA buildings in Montgomery will be illuminated in red.

For more information about TB, visit https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/tb/index.htmlor call (334) 206-5330.