The Lancet Public Health: Social Protection for TB — How Can We Make It Universal?

18 February 2026

The Lancet Public Health comment

TB is strongly associated with social determinants such as undernutrition, poor housing, and poor access to health care. Moreover, TB rates declined in high-income countries well before the advent of effective antibiotics, largely due to improvements in socioeconomic conditions.

Despite this knowledge, the global TB strategy has largely relied on a biomedical paradigm, centered on diagnosis and treatment of individuals once they develop TB. However, thanks to a steady accumulation of evidence, there is growing awareness about the need to address social determinants through social protection.

Read the full comment here.

Source: The Lancet Public Health