Tuberculosis is generally a curable disease if it is treated with effective medication for the recommended duration. Rarely, however, there are pathogens that no longer respond to all drugs (resistant TB) or other concomitant circumstances that make treatment difficult. In Germany, the conditions are good for successfully treating even resistant tuberculosis.

In other parts of the world, the conditions for this are often not met: the diagnosis of tuberculosis is not made or is made too late, the right medication is not available or those affected cannot afford it. Treatment and cure of tuberculosis is then not possible. This is why tuberculosis is still one of the 10 most common causes of death worldwide.