Tuberculosis is deadlier than COVID — and the world is not ready.
 Tuberculosis (TB), long overshadowed by COVID-19, is once again the world’s deadliest infectious disease. In 2023, 8.2 million people were newly diagnosed — more than any year since global monitoring began. Some 1.25 million people died, overtaking the death toll from COVID-19 and reigniting fears that TB, particularly its drug-resistant strains, could spark future global outbreaks. Around 400,000 individuals developed multidrug- or rifampicin-resistant TB, but fewer than half were diagnosed or treated. The resurgence of TB, especially in high-burden and under-resourced regions, poses growing threats to global health security, including in the United States. 
The U.S. Government, which supports domestic TB control through the CDC, is also a major investor in the global TB response. But in 2023, funding for international TB eradication amounted to just a quarter of the $22 billion required. As antimicrobial resistance grows and surveillance gaps widen, the global fight is being waged with too little money and too few tools.  Global Solutions Ventures, a joint venture between Dexis and ZemiTek working under U.S. Government direction, is addressing the crisis by confronting TB at its source — in the communities where it spreads fastest and surveillance is weakest. In several countries, advisors are delivering measurable results within months by blending epidemiology, data science, and strategic planning.  
Asia is Ground Zero for the disease. In Indonesia, rural areas suffer from limited radiology coverage and under-diagnosis. One advisor piloted artificial intelligence with computer-aided detection (CAD) for chest X-rays. The technology increased case identification by 30% in pilot regions and enabled real-time monitoring for scale-up. Nepal faced a 43% budget shortfall in its TB response. Another advisor conducted urgent due diligence, aligned gaps with donor priorities, and secured financing from USAID and the Global Fund. This averted program closure, preserved MDR-TB treatment, and sustained diagnostics.  
Central Asia, less known for TB, harbors potential outbreaks. In Kyrgyzstan, where delays in diagnosing drug-resistant TB threatened containment, one advisor deployed genomic sequencing. This improved early detection, guided national treatment protocols, and aligned the country with WHO standards, boosting biosecurity. Tajikistan, struggling with fragmented control efforts and poor metrics, now has a five-year roadmap for TB elimination. Another advisor helped draft a national plan grounded in global benchmarks, enhancing strategic alignment and donor confidence.  
Africa remains a vital frontline. In Zambia, where sputum-based diagnostics often fail in children and critically ill patients, one technical advisor introduced stool-based Xpert testing. Within 90 days, this innovation boosted pediatric case detection by 25%, closing critical diagnostic gaps in high-risk populations. 
The results speak for themselves. In U.S. Government priority countries, TB mortality fell by 9% in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels — marking a second straight year of improvement. Since the early 2000s, global efforts led by the U.S. have helped save an estimated 80 million lives, according to the WHO. But the resurgence of TB — fueled by drug resistance, funding gaps, and weak surveillance — requires a renewed, strategic commitment. The cost of inaction is measured in millions of lives.