Malawi’s TB Drug Shortage, UK Aid Reductions and the Urgent Need for Renewed International Commitment

That the Parliament expresses deep concern at The Guardian report of 28 August 2025 that Malawi, which is one of the world’s poorest countries, is projected to run out of first-line tuberculosis (TB) drugs in weeks, following severe supply chain problems and significant reductions to UK and US aid; notes that according, to the World Health Organization (WHO), TB killed 1.25 million people globally in 2023, largely in low- and middle-income countries, and that disruption to treatment not only costs lives but risks the development and spread of drug-resistant TB strains that are even harder to treat; further notes that TB is now the world’s second deadliest infectious disease, after COVID-19 at its peak, and that the situation in Malawi has been described by global health experts as an avoidable tragedy driven by policy choices; commends the University of Dundee’s Drug Discovery Unit for its world-leading contribution to combating TB, including the development of new drug candidates and affordable treatment regimens designed for use in low-resource setting; recognises Dundee’s long-standing partnerships with international organisations and research bodies that are advancing global health and bringing hope to millions; acknowledges that, while restoring the UK’s international development budget to 0.7% of GNI would be preferred, it may not be feasible in the short term; believes that maintaining a credible and effective aid programme is essential if the UK is to be taken seriously as a global partner; further believes strongly that asylum accommodation and processing costs in the UK should not be charged to the international aid budget, as this diverts funds away from their intended purpose of supporting health, education and stability overseas, and risks weakening the very systems that prevent humanitarian crises from spiralling; understands that investment in international aid is not charity but can help build stable, prosperous societies that reduce the drivers of displacement and forced migration, and considers that the most effective way to address the current migration crisis is not by reducing aid but by ensuring that people are not forced to flee their homes in the first place, which requires a renewed international commitment from the UK Government, and other developed nations, on health, stability and development.