This report provides a comprehensive assessment of the TB epidemic and progress in implementing and ?nancing TB prevention, care and control at global, regional and country levels using data reported by 197 countries and territories that account for over 99% of the world’s TB cases.

Five priority actions required to accelerate progress towards the MDG 2015 targets are identified by the report, including:

• efforts must be intensified to reach the three million people- a third of all new TB cases – who are “missed” every year by health systems
• multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) must be addressed as a public health crisis
• the response to TB/HIV must be accelerated
• increase financing to close all resource gaps
• ensure rapid uptake of innovations.