Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Thursday launched JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) teams under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, bringing together National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets and MY Bharat volunteers to strengthen community-level efforts against tuberculosis. The initiative is aimed at taking awareness and mobilisation activities beyond healthcare facilities and closer to communities, with a focus on prevention, early diagnosis and treatment. The launch took place at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi as part of the Centre’s efforts to increase youth participation in the national tuberculosis elimination programme. The JOSH teams will initially be rolled out across 55 districts in 11 states, with activities planned at the block, ward and community levels.

Each team comprises five MY Bharat volunteers and five NCC cadets and is led by a designated Class-I officer at the block or ward level. The teams are intended to serve as a community-level interface for the TB elimination programme, helping officials and health workers reach people who may remain outside the formal healthcare system. Their outreach will focus on creating awareness about common TB symptoms, preventive measures, timely diagnosis and the importance of completing the prescribed course of treatment. The teams will also work to counter myths and misconceptions surrounding tuberculosis and address the stigma and discrimination often associated with the disease.

Through household and community interactions, they will encourage people experiencing symptoms or concerns to seek testing and remain connected with the healthcare system during treatment. Nadda said the initiative would help strengthen grassroots mobilisation and identify gaps in the existing response. He stressed that finding people with TB at an early stage is important for ensuring timely treatment as well as reducing the risk of transmission within families and communities. The government has said the initiative reflects a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach by bringing together the health, youth and defence networks for a common public-health objective.

Also Read: JOSH Initiative To Cover 55 Districts Across 11 States In Fresh Push Against Tuberculosis

The Health Ministry said the JOSH teams were conceived following a recent review in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested institutionalising youth participation in the tuberculosis elimination campaign. The initiative builds on the government’s wider emphasis on community participation, with 67,933 panchayats across 697 districts recognised as TB Mukt in 2025, according to government data. The Centre has also been expanding intensified TB screening, testing and treatment efforts as part of its broader campaign to reduce the disease burden.

The government has set a goal of eliminating tuberculosis in India ahead of the global 2030 target. According to the latest WHO report cited by the Health Ministry, TB incidence in India has declined by 21%, compared with a 12% decline globally, while India’s TB treatment coverage has reached 92%, against a global figure of 78%. Nadda said the progress needed to be sustained and that JOSH teams would contribute by strengthening outreach, community participation and early identification. The initiative is expected to progressively expand its grassroots presence after the first-phase rollout in 55 districts.

Also Read: JOSH Initiative To Cover 55 Districts Across 11 States In Fresh Push Against Tuberculosis