What is JOSH Campaign for TB Elimination? Know Its Full Form, Members, Key Objectives and More
Union Health Minister J.P Nadda recently launched the JOSH initiative to strengthen India's fight against tuberculosis. Learn about the scheme, objectives, team structure and India's progress so far.
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda launched the JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) Teams initiative on October 8, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. The campaign is part of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, which aims to make India free from tuberculosis (TB).
India has done a phenomenal job over the years in tackling TB, and the number of cases has dropped significantly. However, the disease remains a major health concern. The main aim of this campaign is to speed up India's efforts to eliminate TB by 2030.
What is JOSH TB Campaign?
According to WHO, Tuberculosis is an infectious bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which most commonly affects the lungs. It is transmitted from person to person via droplets from the throat and lungs of people with the active respiratory disease.
The goal of the JOSH program is to help the government, communities, and citizens in the fight against tuberculosis in India. The program focuses on creating awareness among people, gaining their trust, and dealing with the fear they have for this disease. The campaign is launched across 11 states and 55 districts.
Structure and Rollout of JOSH Teams
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5 MY Bharat Volunteers and 5 NCC Cadets in each team.
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A designated Class-I officer at the Block/Ward level.
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6,347 JOSH Squads launched across 55 districts in 11 States and Union Territories.
Technological and Digital Initiatives
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Khushi Avatar: An e-Sangini assistant that provides TB information and medicine reminders in 12 Indian languages.
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TB Mukt Bharat App: A dedicated feature for JOSH Teams to monitor activities.
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Diagnostic Tools: AI assisted portable X rays and rapid molecular tests support early detection and drug resistance testing.
Key Objectives of the JOSH Initiative
1. Make People Aware of TB: Generate awareness regarding symptoms of TB, its prevention, early detection and treatment.
2. Early Detection and Treatment of TB: Motivate people with symptoms of TB to undergo testing and encourage patients to continue treatment.
3. Combat TB Stigma: Work on the issue of stigma, myths and fear related to TB and motivate communities to support patients of TB.
4. Community Involvement: Involve citizens and local authorities in the campaign for TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.
5. Good Lifestyle and TB Eradication: Practice healthy habits and lifestyle along with encouraging young people to help India eradicate TB by 2030.
Source: Press Information Bureau
India’s Progress Against TB in Numbers
In November 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its Global TB Report 2025, which highlighted significant progress in India’s fight against tuberculosis. Also, around 67,933 Panchayats across 697 districts recognised as TB Mukt in 2026. Below is the complete data.
| Key Metric | India’s Progress (2015–2024) |
| TB Incidence Rate | Declined by 21% (237 to 187 per lakh) |
| TB Mortality Rate | Fell from 28 to 21 per lakh |
| Treatment Coverage | 92%, compared with the global 78% |
| Treatment Success Rate | 90%, compared with the global 88% |
| Drug-Resistance Testing | 92% coverage, compared with the global 83% |
| Missing Cases | Reduced from 15 lakh to under 1 lakh |
| Screening | Over 19 crore people screened; 24.5 lakh cases detected |
Source: Global TB Report 2025
Despite the progress made, India remains one of the countries with the highest Tuberculosis burden in the world. With continued efforts in the right direction, India can move closer to its goal of becoming TB free by 2030.
Varun Verma is an education and sports journalist with over three years of experience in journalism, with a strong focus on cricket . He has previously worked with SportsYaari and CricketTimes.com, where he developed a strong news sense and a knack for storytelling while covering breaking news and major sporting events.
He holds a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi. Beyond sports, his interests include geopolitics, Indian polity and government policies. Inspired by the grit and passion of Ben Stokes, he strives to bring the same depth in his life.
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