New vaccines could help us consign tuberculosis to history: here’s how we can do it

When I was a physician in Pakistan, I would see tuberculosis (TB) in every form. I saw the death, disability and suffering it causes first-hand. Later, as Minister of Social Protection, I witnessed the terrible consequences this disease has for whole communities, and the impact it had on health systems and economies. So you can imagine the sense of urgency and anticipation I feel today now that we may be on the cusp of a new vaccine that could help turn the tide against a disease that has plagued humanity since antiquity. As the leader of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, I will do everything I can to ensure that any new vaccine is made available to those that need it most.

New tuberculosis vaccines on the horizon

TB is the world’s deadliest infectious disease, taking 1.2 million lives every year. Tragically, the number of cases is rising, reaching a record high in 2024. This terrible toll is partly because we lack a vaccine that prevents infection and disease in adolescents and adults (the one existing vaccine we have, BCG, provides protection to infants and young children against severe disease only).

The promising new vaccine candidates that could change this picture are now advancing through clinical trials. If they are effective in adolescents and adults., they could make a huge difference in the global fight against this disease, and if they are approved millions of lives could potentially be saved and up to US$ 400 billion worth of economic benefits generated worldwide by 2050.

Turning opportunity into impact

At Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, we have a mandate to ensure these vaccines, if they are approved, are made accessible to those that need them and we are acting decisively: in December 2024 we sent a signal to vaccine manufacturers by including TB in our vaccine investment strategy for the next five years. Since then, we have worked with our partners to forecast demand, estimating that it will peak at about 120 million courses per year for the first five years of introduction. Next we will publish a roadmap to shape TB vaccine markets and forecast TB vaccine demand.

To ensure we are able to meet this demand I have directed my team – as a matter of priority – to design a time-bound package of support to accelerate the development of and access to new TB vaccines. We will use innovative financing tools, and draw on every one of our partnerships, to deploy the financial firepower required to ensure TB vaccines are rolled out efficiently and at pace.

Collective action

This preparatory work is essential to ensure we hit the ground running as soon as TB vaccines are approved for use. But this is not about Gavi alone: we need coordinated and collective action now from all stakeholders to ensure future success.

That is why we are working in close alignment with our partners at WHO, the Global Fund, the Gates Foundation, the African Development Bank and Africa CDC, as well as many others. And we look forward to continuing our work with the TB Vaccine Accelerator Council’s Finance and Access Working Group, which we are honoured to co-lead with WHO and South Africa throughout 2026.

TB has plagued humanity since before historic records began, and defeating it will require a truly global effort. All stakeholders must come together to support a joint strategy for TB vaccine access — one that combines early demand signalling, coordinated financing and shared accountability.

We may soon have the power to consign the world’s deadliest disease to history: we must do everything we can to ensure new lifesaving TB vaccines are able to reach the millions of people who need them, without delay.