World TB Day is an annual event that is observed around the globe on March 24 every year to raise awareness about tuberculosis (TB) and efforts to eliminate it. The day marks the discovery of the TB-causing bacterium by Dr. Robert Koch in 1882, which paved the way for diagnosis and treatment. Each year, the annual event aims to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of tuberculosis (TB) and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic. World TB Day: Tobacco Smokers at Higher Risk of Developing Tuberculosis, Say Experts.

According to details by WHO, 79 million lives worldwide have been saved since 2000 by global efforts. As per figures by WHO, 10.8 million people fell ill with TB in 2023 while 1.25 million people died of TB that year. Every year, the day is observed with a unique theme. World TB Day 2025 theme is ‘Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver’, a bold call for hope, urgency, and accountability. In this article, let’s know more about World TB Day 2025 date, World TB Day history and the significance of the annual event. World TB Day Messages, Quotes and Images Take Over Social Media to Spread Awareness on Tuberculosis.

World TB Day 2025 Date

World TB Day 2025 falls on Sunday, March 24.

World TB Day 2025 Theme

World TB Day 2025 theme is ‘Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver’.

World TB Day History

On March 24, 1882, Dr Robert Koch made an announcement about the discovery of the tuberculosis (TB)-causing bacterium. He announced it to a small group of scientists at the University of Berlin's Institute of Hygiene that he had discovered the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus. This discovery was a major milestone in medical history, leading to advancements in antibiotics and public health strategies to combat TB. Koch explained the aetiology of tuberculosis with convincing force, presenting many of his microscope slides and other pieces of evidence.

At the time of Koch's announcement in Berlin, TB was raging through Europe and the Americas, causing the death of one out of every seven people. Koch's discovery opened the way toward diagnosing and curing tuberculosis. In 1982, on the one-hundredth anniversary of Robert Koch's presentation, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) proposed that March 24 be proclaimed an official World TB Day.

World TB Day Significance

World TB Day is an important global awareness event that amplifies the urgency of ending tuberculosis—the world’s deadliest infectious disease. TB continues to devastate millions globally, inflicting severe health, social, and economic consequences. This day honours the groundbreaking revelation by Dr Robert Koch that provided a scientific basis for diagnosing and treating TB, a disease that had long plagued humanity.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 24, 2025 10:31 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).