The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Ministry of Defence, will launch ‘JOSH’ (Joint Squad for Health) Teams on October 8 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. This initiative aims to foster youth participation in India’s fight against TB (tuberculosis) and promote community engagement at the grassroots level.
In the first phase, JOSH teams will be rolled out across 55 districts in 11 states. The primary role of these teams will be to spread awareness at the grassroots level, mobilize the community, and advance the TB Mukt Bharat campaign. Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda will launch this campaign. Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will also be present on the occasion.
These teams will bring together Class-I officers, MY Bharat volunteers and NCC cadets to assist in reaching out to people at the community level. They will raise awareness about TB symptoms, prevention, early detection, and treatment completion, while also helping to dispel misconceptions and reduce the stigma associated with the disease.
This launch will also introduce new Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials and Khushi Avatar for the ‘TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan’. Khushi Avatar is an AI-powered chatbot designed to raise awareness and foster community participation in efforts to eliminate TB.
This initiative is part of the government’s Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society approach to eliminating TB. It emphasizes strengthening Jan Bhagidari and extending awareness efforts to communities. In 2025, 67,933 panchayats across 697 districts were declared ‘TB-free,’ highlighting the importance of community participation in India’s TB response.
(PIB)
