National Launch of JOSH Teams for TB Elimination
The Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and the Ministry of Defence, will launch JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) Teams on 8 October 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, will lead the national launch in the presence of Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya (Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports), Shri Sanjay Seth (Minister of State for Defence), and Smt. Rekha Gupta (Chief Minister of Delhi).
Implementation Scope and Structure
In the first phase, JOSH Teams will be rolled out across 55 districts in 11 States with the objective of strengthening youth-led community mobilisation for TB elimination. The teams will bring together Class-I Officers, MY Bharat Volunteers and NCC Cadets, combining administrative leadership with youth networks and community outreach capabilities. The initiative will focus on strengthening engagement at Block/Ward and community levels, taking the TB Mukt Bharat message beyond health facilities to where people live and work.
Program Components and Achievements
The launch event will feature an achievement video highlighting key milestones of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, followed by the formal launch of JOSH Teams. New Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials for the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan will also be launched. The event will witness the launch of Khushi Avatar, an AI-powered chatbot aimed at strengthening public awareness and community engagement in TB elimination efforts.
The initiative builds on significant previous achievements, with 67,933 Panchayats across 697 districts recognized as TB Mukt in 2025. JOSH Teams will support dissemination of key messages on TB symptoms, prevention, timely diagnosis and treatment completion, while addressing myths and misconceptions surrounding TB and reducing stigma.
Strategic Approach
JOSH Teams represent a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to TB elimination, bringing together institutional strengths and outreach networks of health, youth and defence sectors. The Health Ministry provides the public health framework, while Youth Affairs and Defence Ministries facilitate participation of MY Bharat Volunteers and NCC Cadets in community-level mobilisation. The initiative reflects continued emphasis on convergence across Ministries and sectors toward the common national goal of TB elimination.