Joint Statement from the Chief Public Health Officer of the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Chief Medical Officer of Public Health of Indigenous Services Canada on World Tuberculosis Day 2025

OTTAWA, ON, March 24, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, March 24, marks World Tuberculosis (TB) Day. We recognize this day to raise awareness about the health, social and economic consequences of TB and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic. Despite being preventable and curable, TB disease remains a significant public health concern worldwide. This year, the theme is "Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver."

Canada has one of the lowest rates of TB disease in the world. In 2023, there were 2,217 people diagnosed with TB, marking a slight increase for the third consecutive year. Inuit, First Nations, Métis and people born outside of Canada continue to be disproportionally affected by the disease. Social and systemic factors, such as colonialism, racism, stigma, discrimination, structural inequities and inequitable access to health care, contribute to the ongoing occurrence of TB.

In our roles, we have witnessed first hand the devastating effects of TB on communities and encourage everyone to listen to the stories of TB survivors and their communities. Their stories help portray the physical, social and emotional toll of TB, historically and today.

As part of our renewed focus and commitment to ending TB, we have recently released the Government of Canada's Tuberculosis Response (2025): Working Towards TB Elimination. The response lays the foundation for our ongoing collaborative work towards the goals of eliminating TB in Inuit Nunangat by 2030, and across the country by 2035. It also paves a path forward for the work of the Indigenous, federal, provincial and territorial TB Task Group in creating a TB elimination strategy for Canada.

While many challenges remain, the great progress being made in TB-affected communities through Indigenous-led initiatives offers us hope. These include Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami's leadership in developing an Inuit TB Elimination Framework, and the development and implementation of local action plans in all four Inuit Nunangat regions.

In addition, thanks to an integrated approach incorporating local enhanced public health interventions and investing in housing and nutrition support, TB outbreaks in four Saskatchewan First Nations communities were declared over in December 2024.

Though we still have more work to do, from improving equitable access to TB medicines to ending stigma and discrimination associated with TB, elimination IS within our reach if we work together. By committing to collective action and supporting community-led initiatives, we can end TB.

Dr. Theresa Tam
Chief Public Health Officer
Public Health Agency of Canada

Dr. Tom Wong
Chief Medical Officer of Public Health
Indigenous Services Canada

SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada

Contacts: Media Relations, Public Health Agency of Canada, 613-957-2983 [email protected]; Media Relations, Indigenous Services Canada, 819-953-1160, [email protected]