Tuberculosis remains one of the most serious public health threats in Afghanistan, with thousands of new cases reported each year, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, marking World Tuberculosis Day.
The United Nations said that with an estimated rate of 203 cases per 100,000 people in 2025, the disease continues to be a major health challenge in the country.
The WHO called for urgent, coordinated action to expand early diagnosis, improve access to treatment and ensure that no patients are left behind.
“On World Tuberculosis Day, WHO calls for collective action to expand early detection, improve access to treatment and ensure that no one is missed,” said Edwin Ceniza Salvador, the WHO representative in Afghanistan.
The UN Development Programme said that, with support from the Global Fund, access to tuberculosis services has expanded across Afghanistan, with more than 50,000 patients diagnosed and treated over the past year.
Despite these efforts, patients — particularly in remote areas — say delays in diagnosis and limited access to healthcare have worsened their condition.
“There are no proper clinics where we live, so we have to travel to the city for treatment,” said a resident of Badghis province. “My lungs have been badly affected because my illness was not treated in time.”
Another patient in Farah province said repeated visits to health centers failed to result in a timely diagnosis.
“I went to clinics several times, but my illness was not diagnosed,” he said. “I have been under treatment for six months now. It got worse because it was not identified earlier.”
Health experts say poverty, limited public awareness and weak access to diagnostic and treatment facilities continue to hinder efforts to control the disease.
“There is a shortage of clinics, doctors and medicine,” said Asif Sediqi, a doctor. “Low awareness also means patients often seek treatment late.”
The Taliban-run Public Health Ministry has previously said that about 75,000 people contract tuberculosis each year in Afghanistan, with around 10,000 deaths linked to the disease.
Tuberculosis is a contagious bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs and spreads from person to person. Globally, millions of people fall ill each year, and thousands die from the disease, according to the WHO.
