![\"Nurse](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/nurse-adjusting-ventilator-of-patient-in-intensive-care-unit-6726484.jpg\" "\\"Nurse")
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Experts argue that global health security will help protect the NHS (Image: Getty)<\/p>\n
Doctors and disease experts who are campaigning for the UK to invest more in international health programmes have warned that five \u201cglobal diseases\u201d are on the rise in Britain. Rates of conditions such as TB, malaria, HIV, dengue fever and measles<\/a> have increased in recent years, while the UK has cut funding for global health initiatives.<\/p>\n Spending on international health is set to fall dramatically from \u00a31.77billion in 2024 to a projected \u00a3527million in 2026. The UK pledged \u00a3850million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for 2026-2028, down 15% from \u00a31billion in the previous fundraising cycle. Campaigners from Healthy World, Secure Britain warned the fall in contributions to global health will weaken the UK\u2019s defences against infectious diseases and pandemics<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong> The only six side effects caused by statins detailed in major study \u2014 full list <\/a><\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong> Victorian disease outbreak rocks major city sparking World Cup warning <\/a><\/p>\n They are urging ministers to recognise the importance of health security abroad in order to protect the NHS<\/a>.<\/p>\n Professor Aubrey Cunnington, an honorary consultant in paediatric infectious diseases at St Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust said:\u00a0\u201cProtecting health in the UK requires stopping diseases like malaria and TB at source.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThese diseases don’t respect borders, so rising cases are a predictable consequence of funding to tackle them in other countries being decimated.<\/p>\n \u201cIf politicians retreat from investing in global health security today, it means we will see more devastating diseases tomorrow.\u201d Here\u2019s a full list of the five diseases highlighted by campaigners.<\/p>\n Tuberculosis\u00a0<\/p>\n Cases of tuberculosis in England increased by 13% from 4,850 in 2023 to 5,487\u00a0<\/strong>in 2024 and 5,424 in 2025. TB is an infection that usually affects the lungs, causing symptoms such as aa cough lasting more than three weeks, exhaustion, a high temperature, loss of appetite, weight loss and feeling generally unwell.<\/p>\n It can be treated with antibiotics<\/a> but can be serious if not treated. In serious cases it can destroy lung tissue leading to severe respiratory failure, bleeding or the spread of infection to other vital organs.<\/p>\n Eight in 10 cases in 2024 were among people born outside the UK, however the UK Health Security Agency said there also been an increase among UK-born populations. The largest increases were seen in London and the West Midlands. Globally, there were\u00a0a record\u00a08.3 million new cases in 2024.<\/p>\n Professor Onn Min Kon, a consultant respiratory physician at St Mary\u2019s Hospital London, said: \u201cWe must stop diseases like TB at source. TB \u2018anywhere\u2019 is TB \u2018everywhere\u2019.<\/p>\n “It is unsurprising that TB cases are still rising after funding to tackle it in other countries has been reduced. There is a need to ensure we treat TB globally as a key component of our care to the population we serve in the UK.\u201d<\/p>\n Experts want the UK to support global efforts to prevent the next pandemic (Image: Getty)Malaria<\/p>\n Millions of deaths from malaria have been prevented over the last 25 years thanks to advances in preventing and treating the disease.<\/p>\n But scientists have warned that progress could soon be reversed due to threats including extreme weather, humanitarian crises and funding cuts for prevention programmes.<\/p>\n There were 236 million malaria cases around the world in 2023, leading to 590,000 deaths.<\/p>\n Despite a small drop in cases in 2024, imported malaria cases in the UK remain high, following a peak of 2,106 cases in 2023, the highest total recorded since 2001.<\/p>\n The Express travelled to Tanzania last summer to visit the frontline of the fight to eliminate malaria<\/a>, where scientists told of their fears that funding cuts would bring vital work to a halt.<\/p>\n Dengue fever\u00a0<\/p>\n The number of dengue cases imported by returning travellers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland reached a record high of 904 in 2024. This was up significantly from 631 in 2023. Most cases were linked to travel to Southern and South-Eastern Asia.<\/p>\n![\"Disease](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/disease-x-vaccination-drug-in-green-gloved-hands-medical-concept-6726500.jpg\" "\\"Disease")
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