On March 24th, World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, it is essential to remember that tuberculosis is not a disease of the past. Tuberculosis continues to be the leading infectious disease killer worldwide. In 2024, approximately 1.2 million people lost their lives to tuberculosis. Yet tuberculosis is a preventable—and curable—disease. Stigma and discrimination, unequal access to healthcare, and global disparities are all factors that contribute to its continued prevalence and make it a major public health challenge.
But just as Japan once spent 70 years battling TB to successfully achieve low-prevalence status, we can end this disease—both in Japan and across the globe—through accurate knowledge, collaboration, sustained effort, and the creation of a society where everyone has equitable access to healthcare.
For World TB Day 2026, FGFJ has produced a video featuring individuals who have personally experienced tuberculosis, as well as those working to combat the disease both within Japan and abroad.
"Ignorance Is a Barrier" — Five Survivors & Experts Discuss Tuberculosis
(contains both Japanese and English-language segments with subtitles)
Featured participants include Hiroki Takahashi, producer of ReHacQ and tuberculosis survivor; Seiya Kato, Director of the Research Institute of Tuberculosis at the Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association (JATA); Himani Verma, a tuberculosis survivor and advocate who supports individuals affected by tuberculosis in India; Eliud Wandwalo, Head of Tuberculosis at the Global Fund; and Otsuka Pharmaceutical, a company that has dedicated over 50 years to the research and development of treatments for drug-resistant tuberculosis.
Speaking from their respective vantage points, these voices convey that tuberculosis is not merely a medical challenge; it is a multifaceted issue that compels us to examine the very nature of our society—raising questions regarding prejudice, discrimination, social isolation, disparities in access to healthcare, and the critical need for international cooperation.
They remind us that tuberculosis—a disease often dismissed as a relic of the past—remains a tangible reality that exists right here, right now. And yet, they also affirm that if we confront it with accurate knowledge and the right approach, it is a challenge we can overcome.
Yes! We Can End TB.
To view other FGFJ videos documenting the stories of those involved in the fight against TB around the world, click on the images below:
Visit Niger, Indonesia and Malawi in a New Documentary on the Global Fund’s Impact
“It Always Starts with a Dream”
Episode 1: Vietnam
