World Health Organisation figures reveal the Marshall Islands continues to battle high rates of tuberculosis.
The WHO's Global Tuberculosis Report 2013 says the country has an estimated prevalance rate of 1079 cases per 100-thousand population.
A medical officer of health based in Fiji, Dr Sunghye Kim, says the rising rate of TB may in part reflect more accurate reporting of the disease.
"The rate 10 years ago, it's increasing, it's increased, and if we question why, it doesn't necessarily mean the situation is getting worse."
Dr Sunghye Kim says it is very difficult to treat TB in small, isolated countries and Kiribati and the Federated States of Micronesia are also battling high TB rates.
She says although TB is curable, it does require a six-month course of treatment.