Tuberculosis at the crossroads: urgent actions for migrant and refugee health in a turbulent era

Tuberculosis (TB) remains the world's deadliest infectious disease kiler, affecting the most vulnerable, including refugees and migrants. Their vulnerability is intensified by structural and social barriers that hinder diagnosis and treatment and restrict healthcare access. To put a spotlight on this issue, the WHO in collaboration with the Qatar Foundation launched a technical report on innovative solutions for TB elimination among refugees and migrants at the Seventh World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) in November 2024. The report proposes 10 policy options and includes seven illustrative case studies to address the issue of TB among refugees and migrants. The global public health landscape has shifted dramatically since the report's release. Widespread funding cuts for health and development coupled with escalating geopolitical tensions now threaten hard-won public health gains. On the back of an already chronically underfunded TB response, where only 26% of the needed funds were available, both global and local responses to TB are faltering-putting lives, equity and elimination goals at serious risk. While the 2024 WISH report outlined policy actions to address TB among refugees and migrants, shrinking funding for health and development now threatens implementation. Therefore, in this analysis piece, we examine the current and urgent challenge of addressing TB among migrants and refugees framed in the context of three policy actions in the WISH report-namely, political commitment, adequate resourcing and equitable access to healthcare. We argue that sustaining and scaling up efforts to end TB is not optional-it is imperative.