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Youth-Led JOSH Teams Launched to Accelerate India’s TB Elimination Drive
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Youth-Led JOSH Teams Launched to Boost TB Elimination
On Thursday, October 8 2026, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, together with the Ministries of Youth Affairs and Sports and Defence, inaugurated Joint Squad for Health (JOSH) teams in 55 districts spanning 11 states and union territories. The rollout is part of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, a national campaign aimed at making India free of tuberculosis.
Structure and Community Outreach
Each JOSH team comprises ten volunteers – five cadets from the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and five members of the MY Bharat programme – and operates under the supervision of a designated Class-I officer at the block or ward level. Teams conduct household-level outreach, identify individuals with TB-related symptoms, encourage testing, and provide counseling to support treatment completion. The initiative also deploys digital tools, including a JOSH flipbook, a brochure for community awareness, the e-Sangini service “Khushi Avatar” (offering symptom information and medication reminders in 12 languages), and a dedicated feature on the TB Mukt Bharat mobile app for activity monitoring.
Government Targets and Reported Progress
The Ministry highlighted a 21 percent decline in TB incidence in India, compared with a 12 percent global decline, and noted that treatment coverage has risen to 92 percent versus 78 percent worldwide. In 2026, 67,933 panchayats across 697 districts were declared TB-Mukt, reflecting coordinated efforts among health workers, elected representatives, and community volunteers. The first phase covering the 55 districts is slated for expansion to additional districts after orientation and mobilisation of volunteers.
Official Statements & Future Expansion
He framed the JOSH teams as a mechanism to channel youth energy into a people-centred, participatory response to TB, reinforcing the collective resolve to achieve a TB-Mukt Bharat. The government indicated that subsequent phases will broaden the programme’s geographic reach, integrating more volunteers and leveraging the digital tools introduced at launch.