Abstract
Globally, an estimated 10.6 million people (133 persons per 100,000 population) fell ill with tuberculosis (TB) in 2022, an increase of 2.9% from 10.3 million (131 persons per 100,000 population) in 2021. The number of TB deaths in 2022 is estimated at 1.3 million, a decrease of 6.4% from 1.39 million in 2021. The Republic of Korea (ROK) ranked 107th among 219 countries with an estimated TB incidence of 39 persons per 100,000 population, and ranked 107th in TB mortality with an estimated TB mortality of 3.8 persons per 100,000 population among 218 countries (except for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea). Among the 38 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, ROK ranked 2nd in TB incidence and 4th in TB mortality. The World Health Organization established ‘The End TB Strategy,’ which aims for an 80% reduction in TB incidence and a 90% reduction in the number of TB deaths between 2015 and 2030. The strategy included the second milestone, which is a 50% reduction in TB incidence and a 75% reduction in the number of TB deaths between 2015 and 2025. In global efforts to end TB by 2030, The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced the ‘The Third National Strategic Plan for TB Control in the Republic of Korea, 2023–2027’. The plan aims to implement more effective TB control policies to reduce TB incidence to below 20 persons per 100,000 population by 2027 and below 10 persons per 100,000 population by 2030.