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World TB Day (March 24) – History, Significance, Theme

• Gk Section
• Posted on 11/17/202512/10/2025

World TB Day March 24 – Why TB Day is Celebrated?

World TB Day is celebrated annually on March 24 to raise awareness amongst people about the causes, effects and treatment of tuberculosis (TB). TB still remains one of the deadliest bacterial diseases ever caused to humankind. It is considered to be an infectious killer and World Tuberculosis Day aims to educate people about the impact of TB on the global population.

The purpose of a dedicated day to tackle TB is to highlight the consequences of TB with the aim to step up efforts towards TB eradication. We have shared further information about World TB Day its theme, history and importance here.

Tuberculosis is a deadly disease spread by a contagious virus. World Tuberculosis Day is an attempt to make more and more people aware of the deadly consequences of this disease. TB is among the leading causes of death among people in the world. In 2018, 1.5 million people perished because of TB. Therefore, it is important to raise awareness about this disease through World TB Day.

Tuberculosis mostly affects people from low to middle-income countries. Every year, the World Health Organization also launches campaigns on TB Day to spread the message. Here is a brief overview of the day:

TB Day – What is TB?

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that affects the lungs. It is caused by bacteria and is identified by symptoms such as coughing, fatigue, weight loss, etc. World Tuberculosis Day raises awareness about TB symptoms and causes so that people are able to identify the disease and get timely treatment.

World TB Day – Facts about TB

• In 2020, 9,900,000 people contracted this disease.
• In the year 2020, 1,500,000 people died of TB worldwide.

World TB Day Theme 2025

This year, the World TB Day theme 2025 is “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver!” This year’s theme is about reinforcing the belief that we can put an end to the deadly infectious TB disease. Every year, the World Health Organization announces a new theme on World Tuberculosis Day.

Here, we have shared some of the previous year’s themes on TB Day:

World Tuberculosis Day – History

World TB Day is celebrated every year on March 24. It is one out of the eleven official global public health campaigns recognised and marked by WHO. Here are some details about the history of TB Day:

• This day commemorates the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch discovered the bacillus that causes tuberculosis.
• The name of the bacterium that causes TB was announced as Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Q. When is World TB Day celebrated?

World TB Day is celebrated on March 24 every year. On this day, people raise awareness about tuberculosis, its causes and its effects. World TB Day is recognized by the World Health Organization and is observed by all United Nations Member States on March 24.

Q. What is the root cause of TB, and who discovered it?

Ans: The root cause of TB is a bacteria named TB Bacillus, and it was discovered by Dr Robert Koch in the year 1882. His discovery helped in the diagnosis and treatment of this deadly and infectious disease.

Q. Who proposed to recognise World Tuberculosis Day?

Ans: The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) proposed the 24th of March be recognised as the World TB day, on the one-hundredth anniversary of Dr Koch’s discovery and presentation of the cause of TB, in the year 1982.

Q. Where did Dr Robert Koch first declare about his findings on TB?

And: Dr Robert Koch first announced his findings on TB in front of a small group of scientists at the University of Berlin’s Institute of Hygiene.

Q. What is the significance of World TB Day?

Ans: World Tuberculosis Day provides an opportunity to organise political as well as social commitments for future progress by way of reducing and eliminating TB as a public health disorder.