Tuberculosis, An Enduring Global Health Threat that Deserves Our Attention

York University Global Health student, Giovanna Batti, shares her thoughts on Tuberculosis awareness and Canada's role as a leader in global health, as part of her experience working on the global health team at Results Canada and contributing to their efforts to address the global challenge of Tuberculosis.

I RECENTLY ASKED A TUBERCULOSIS (TB) SURVIVOR, "What advice would you offer to advocates working to combat TB or similar global health issues?" He responded, "Focus on educating without overwhelming, and meet people where they are.” In my efforts to educate without overwhelming, I want us to collectively recognize that our understanding of health is incomplete if we overlook social diseases like TB. 

TB is the world's deadliest infectious disease. In 2023, an estimated 1.25 million died from the disease, killing more people than malaria and AIDS combined. One-quarter of the global population is estimated to have been infected with TB. Three months ago, as part of my Global Health practicum, I began interning at Results Canada, an advocacy organization that empowers everyday people to generate the political will to end extreme poverty. As a policy intern on their global health team, I started researching the history of TB and was surprised to discover it was closer to home than I thought.

The Spadina Museum, a historical house in the heart of Toronto, is just a stone's throw away from where I live. Situated near the well-known Casa Loma, this house is perched on a hill, offering a city view. Granted permission to visit the museum in person, I took the opportunity to learn about its rich history and its connection to TB.

The house was acquired in the 1800s by the prominent Toronto financier James Austin and inherited by his son, Albert Austin. Albert's son, Bertie, contracted TB and died at the age of 24. This was an unfortunate reality for those affected by this disease that had no cure at the time. Despite the family's upper-class status, the infectious nature of TB did not discriminate, impacting the lives of even the most privileged. The cure for TB was discovered after Bertie died in the 1940s. Since then, the picture of TB worldwide has changed dramatically.

TB is linked to the social determinants of health, such as housing and nutrition, that affect the world's most marginalized people. As John Green writes in his recently published book Everything is Tuberculosis, TB is often described as a disease of poverty, "an illness that walks the trails of injustice and inequity that we blaze for it."

The most pressing question we should be asking ourselves is: If we have the means to treat and cure TB, why haven't we done so already? The answer: TB is not a political priority. While we can hope for a more prosperous future, disturbing news from the Trump administration to cut foreign aid signifies the reduction in American support. This decision inherently affects the operation of vital global health initiatives worldwide. In the wake of these drastic budget cuts, many countries are also pulling back on their foreign aid.

“The most pressing question we should be asking ourselves is: If we have the means to treat and cure TB, why haven't we done so already? The answer: TB is not a political priority.”

— Giovanna Batti, YorkU Global Health student

Canada stands at a crossroads in today's political climate, poised to emerge as a global leader. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria recently launched its eighth replenishment case, rallying governments and civil society to unite in the effort to save lives. If Canada remains steadfast in their commitments to The Global Fund—which accounts for 76% of global TB financing—it will pave the way for a future where individuals do not just survive but thrive. Substantial commitments to global health initiatives are not just crucial; they are necessary. On World Tuberculosis Day, recently observed on March 24, the World Health Organization declared the theme for this year: "Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver." It calls for accountability and urgency because now is the time to act. That is precisely what the TB community is doing every day. They are our beacons of hope, shining a light in places where darkness resides. We must join them in this fight to eradicate this disease, as John Green states: "Ultimately, we are the cause. We must also be the cure."