TB Free Schools Initiative Pre-Launch Workshop Held in Chennai

Photo of the TFSI team at the pre-launch workshop in Chennai
Project teams from JHU and YRG Care gather in Chennai to plan the rollout of the TB Free Schools Initiative (TFSI). The two-day workshop focused on aligning implementation strategies to create TB-free learning environments for children.

On July 3–4, 2025, project teams came together in Chennai for a two-day preparatory workshop to align efforts and finalize operational plans for the upcoming TB Free Schools Initiative (TFSI). Led by the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute (GKII) at Johns Hopkins University in collaboration with implementing partner YRGCARE, the initiative focuses on identifying, treating, and preventing tuberculosis among school-going children (ages 6–18) across four implementation sites – Chennai, Pune, Satara, and Gorakhpur.

Core project teams from Bloomberg School of Public Health (BSPH), Center for Infectious Diseases in India (CIDI) School of Medicine (SOM), GKII, and YRGCARE convened for this in-person session to streamline critical elements such as community sensitization, consent and screening protocols, staff onboarding, supply logistics, and data reporting frameworks. The workshop also served as a platform for cross-site coordination and team building ahead of the full-scale launch.

This initiative is supported by key partners across India and the U.S. and represents a major step toward building TB-free educational environments in India.