India launches JOSH youth squads to accelerate TB elimination

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda has launched the JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) teams as part of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan. The initiative, inaugurated at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, aims to accelerate India’s efforts to eliminate tuberculosis by mobilizing the country’s youth to lead community-based prevention and awareness efforts.

The JOSH program will initially roll out across 55 districts in 11 states. These teams will consist of senior officials, My Bharat volunteers, and NCC cadets working at the block and ward levels to promote early diagnosis, treatment, and the reduction of social stigma. The initiative seeks to transform the national response into a ‘Jan Andolan’ or mass movement through community ownership.

To support these efforts, an Artificial Intelligence chatbot named ‘Khushi’ was also unveiled to provide real-time information and amplify community engagement. The program builds on existing progress, noting that tens of thousands of village panchayats have already achieved formal recognition as TB-free.