Govt. launches JOSH teams to accelerate TB elimination

Why in News?

Union Health Minister launched the JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) Teams under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan to accelerate youth-led tuberculosis elimination efforts across India. 

The first phase covers 55 districts across 11 States and Union Territories, with subsequent nationwide expansion envisaged. 

Key details of the JOSH Initiative:

JOSH Teams provide a community-level link between households and the TB care system, bringing together government institutions and youth networks.

• Team Composition: Each squad consists of 5 National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets and 5 Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) volunteers, functioning under a designated Class-I officer. 
• Core Functions:
  • Door-to-door and block/ward-level active case finding
  • Identifying individuals with symptoms who may be outside formal healthcare
  • Encouraging diagnostic testing and reducing social stigma
  • Supporting patients to ensure treatment completion 
• Digital support: A dedicated feature on the TB Mukt Bharat App supports team activities. Khushi Avatar, an e-Sangini initiative available in 12 Indian languages, provides TB information and medicine reminders. 
• Institutional collaboration: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, and Ministry of Defence.

What is Tuberculosis?

• An airborne communicable disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 
• Can cause:
  • Pulmonary TB (Infection in the lungs): Typically, the bacteria grow in the body where oxygen and blood are in high amounts. As a result, 80% of TB cases are pulmonary. 
  • Extra-pulmonary TB: 20% of cases are extra-pulmonary, which can infect the brain, uterus, stomach, mouth, kidneys and bones.
• High-risk groups: People with weak immunity, like those infected with HIV, undernutrition, diabetes, smoking and alcohol consumption.
• Prevention: BCG vaccine for children. Currently, there is no effective vaccine for adults. 
• Treatment: DOTS strategy (Directly Observed Treatment Short Course) is a WHO-recommended cost-effective strategy. 

Efforts towards TB eradication:

Global Efforts:

• End TB Strategy: WHO declared TB a global epidemic in 1993. End TB Strategy is a global strategy by WHO to reduce TB deaths by 90% and cut new cases by 80% by 2030. It includes five pillars: integrated patient-centred care and prevention, bold policies and supportive systems, intensified research and innovation, universal health coverage, and social and economic interventions.

Initiatives by the Indian government: 

• National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) was adopted in 1997 (previously known as the RNTCP or the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme).
  • DOTS strategy: Focus on Early Diagnosis and Treatment in accordance with the DOTS strategy. Over 4 lakh DOTS centres have been established. Patients are supported with high-quality free diagnostics, treatment and medicines.
  • Nikshay Portal (Ni-Kshay: End TB) is a web-enabled patient management system for tracking of notified TB cases and TB control under the NTEP. 
  • Nikshay Poshan Yojana provides ₹1000 per month to support patients’ nutrition during their treatment.
  • Nikshay Mitra initiative: Mobilises voluntary community support for TB-affected persons.
  • Integration with Ayushman Bharat Health & Wellness Centres to decentralise screening and treatment services closer to the community.
  • Intensified IEC campaigns to reduce stigma, raise community awareness and improve health-seeking behaviour.
• National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination 2017-2025: Adopted in 2018 in line with WHO’s TB Elimination Strategy. It set the ambitious target to reduce TB incidence, prevalence and mortality rates in India by 2025.
  • Includes 4 strategic pillars: Detect – Treat – Prevent – Build
  • Specific targets include:
    • 80% reduction in TB incidence 
    • 90% reduction in TB mortality 
    • 0% of patients with catastrophic expenditure due to TB. 
• Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan campaign: Launched in 2022, the campaign encourages communities to adopt TB patients and support them through nutritional support, nutritional supplements, additional investigations, and vocational support for a minimum of 6 months or up to 3 years.

Milestones & Progress:

India accounted for approximately 25% of estimated global incident TB cases in 2024. According to the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2025, as cited by the government:

• TB Incidence Decline: India recorded a 21% decline in TB incidence (compared to a 12% global decline). From 237 cases per lakh population in 2015 to 187 in 2024.
• Treatment Coverage: Reached 92% in 2024.
• TB Mukt Recognition: 67,933 Panchayats across 697 districts were felicitated as TB Mukt in 2026.
• Digital Tools: Rolled out new IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) materials alongside a mobile application for real-time reporting by JOSH Teams. 

JOSH Teams can strengthen India’s TB response by connecting community trust with timely healthcare. Their success will depend on whether youth mobilisation translates into earlier diagnosis, completed treatment and reduced hardship for affected families.

Prelims Practice MCQ:

Q. With reference to the ‘JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) Teams’ recently launched by the Government of India, consider the following statements:

1. It is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and the Ministry of Defence.

2. The primary objective of the squads is to manufacture and distribute cost-effective indigenous TB vaccines at the grassroots level.

3. Each JOSH team consists of National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets and Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) volunteers operating under a designated officer.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b)