Community Based Organization (TB Survivors Collective)

What is a CBO?

Ending Tuberculosis (TB) requires more than medical treatment—it demands community ownership, participation, and leadership. When people affected by TB, including survivors and their families, play an active role in shaping the response, interventions become more relevant, culturally appropriate, and effective. Their lived experiences provide crucial understanding of ground realities, enabling programmes that are both sustainable and responsive to local needs.

Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) are central to this vision. As trusted, locally rooted entities, they serve as a bridge between public health systems and the communities they aim to serve. CBOs help mobilize communities, cultivate trust, improve service uptake, and strengthen accountability. They also play a vital role in addressing stigma, misinformation, and barriers that prevent people from seeking care.

Many community networks—such as survivor groups, women’s collectives, self-help groups, and local NGOs—already possess the trust, reach, and local insight needed to accelerate TB action. By integrating TB awareness, screening, and patient support into their ongoing activities, CBOs can:

Extend TB services to underserved and marginalized populations
Promote early case detection through community-led sensitization and screening
Improve treatment adherence through peer counselling and psychosocial support
Strengthen accountability through community-based monitoring
Reduce stigma by amplifying survivor voices and normalizing TB conversations

Harnessing these strengths ensures that the TB response is community-driven, inclusive, and aligned with India’s goal of ending TB by 2030.

Who Is This CBO?

The TB Survivor Collective is a registered Community-Based Organization established in Mumbai in April 2025. Formed and led by TB survivors, the CBO is rooted in the belief that those who have lived through the disease are uniquely equipped to transform the TB response.

The CBO plays a transformative role in Mumbai’s TB ecosystem by:

Providing peer support to individuals undergoing treatment, improving psychosocial well-being and treatment adherence

Leading community awareness efforts to reduce stigma through storytelling, education, and survivor-led communication

Acting as a bridge between communities and the health system, ensuring two-way communication, feedback, and improved accountability

Advocating for systemic improvements, especially for Drug-Resistant TB (DRTB), and influencing policies and resource allocation

Mobilizing community action around key determinants of health, such as nutrition, stable housing, and mental health support

Survivor leadership brings empathy, trust, and credibility—elements that are often missing from traditional health interventions. Through regular capacity-building and structured support, the TB Survivor Collective is emerging as a recognized stakeholder in Mumbai’s TB elimination efforts.

Aligned with the WHO End TB Strategy (2030) and India’s National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Elimination, the CBO embodies the principle that meaningful community engagement is not optional—it is essential to achieving lasting progress.

Aim & Objectives

To ensure that people affected by TB have access to quality care, accurate information, and supportive services—promoting a healthier, TB-free future for all.

Objective 1
Enhance community awareness, reduce stigma, and empower individuals with accurate knowledge to dispel myths and misconceptions about TB.

Objective 2
Strengthen TB advocacy by collaborating with the health system, policymakers, and media to improve access to treatment, quality of services, and accountability.

Objective 3
Promote community engagement by building local capacity and facilitating community-driven campaigns for TB awareness and support.