Portugal cuts tuberculosis deaths by 70% but faces drug-resistant surge

Portugal has made significant progress in tackling tuberculosis, with treatment success rates hitting 82.1% in 2024. Deaths from the disease have also dropped sharply, falling to 50 last year—a nearly 70% decrease since 2015. Yet challenges remain, particularly with rising drug-resistant cases and delays in diagnosis.

The country has cut tuberculosis incidence by 31.8% compared to 2015. However, the average delay between symptom onset and treatment start stayed at 81 days in 2024. Men continue to make up the majority of cases, accounting for 64.4% of all reports.

Lisbon and the Tagus Valley, along with the North region, remain the worst-affected areas. Migrant communities face a higher burden, with notification rates 2.7 times above the national average. While 4,315 cases of latent tuberculosis infection were treated last year, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis surged by 63.6%. The number of such cases rose from 2023, reaching 36 in 2024.

The decline in deaths and overall cases marks a positive shift in Portugal's fight against tuberculosis. But the rise in drug-resistant strains and persistent delays in treatment highlight ongoing hurdles. Health officials will need to address these issues to maintain progress.