MHF TOP PICKS FOR September
Every month, we at the Mueller Health Foundation like to showcase interesting news and updates in the field of tuberculosis (TB). Below are our top 3 picks for September:
- Malawi Faces Critical TB Drug Shortage Amid Aid Cuts and Supply Disruptions
Malawi is on the brink of a severe tuberculosis drug shortage, with supplies expected to be depleted by the end of September 2025. The country’s supply is now critically low due to a combination of global pharmaceutical ingredient disruptions and significant cuts in aid from international donors, including the US and UK. Despite having reduced TB cases by 40% over the past decade and achieving high treatment success rates, Malawi’s health system is now under threat. In Blantyre, pharmacies have completely run out of RHZE, a crucial four-drug TB regimen, forcing staff to borrow supplies and ration dosages. Diagnostic services have also been disrupted, as testing cartridges are unavailable. Similar shortages are emerging in surrounding districts, such as Rumphi and Machinga, where facilities are struggling to manage the limited supplies. Health activists are calling on the government to take urgent action, with some even suggesting the need to invest in local drug manufacturing to prevent future supply crises. To learn more, you can access the article here: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/aug/28/health-malawi-tuberculosis-tb-drugs-shortages-poverty-aid-cuts-who
- Butterfly Network to Test AI-Assisted Ultrasound for Early TB Detection in Sub-Saharan Africa
Butterfly Network, a U.S.-based digital health company, has joined the CAD LUS4TB international research consortium, involving 10 African and European institutions, to evaluate the impact of AI‑assisted point‑of‑care ultrasound (POCUS) for early detection of tuberculosis in resource-limited settings. The study will launch in September and enroll approximately 3,000 adult patients across sub‑Saharan Africa.
DID YOU KNOW?
As summarized in a recent publication from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), the Trump administration’s foreign aid review has placed U.S. global tuberculosis programs at risk, with funding cuts and program suspensions creating significant uncertainty. Analyses suggest that the withdrawal of U.S. support could reverse hard-won gains, strain health systems, and accelerate TB transmission worldwide. Multiple assessments provide insight into the potential scope of impact:
- An internal USAID memo projected that ending U.S. TB control programs could increase global TB incidence by 28–32%, with similar effects on drug-resistant TB.
- WHO reported that 30 high-burden countries are already experiencing disruptions, including the loss of health workers, drug supply chain breakdowns, and lab service interruptions.
- A rapid survey of 108 WHO country offices found 40% faced moderate or severe TB service disruptions linked to the U.S. aid freeze and supply shortages.
- In South Africa, funding cuts could result in 580,000 fewer TB tests and 35,000 fewer patients receiving treatment in 2025.
- One modeling study estimated 10.7 million new TB cases and 2.2 million additional deaths in 26 high-burden countries by 2030.
- Another study projected nearly 69 million additional TB cases and 2.2 million more deaths globally by 2040 if U.S. TB funding is halted.
The administration could soon release results of its 90-day foreign aid review, including for TB. It is unknown whether it will recommend any further changes to TB efforts, including further reductions, and how or if Congress will respond to its recommendations.