Our Mission
Our Mission
Joi hok! is a community TB awareness programme which initially developed as an independent idea to later becoming a collaboration across different sectors; including the respectable charitable foundation – Rotary Club and academic institutional partner – ISMB Mycobacteria Research Lab.
This project serves to use tools of traditional art forms and music to communicate knowledge of tuberculosis to the youth of the current generation – hence providing a broader understanding of the challenges that face TB patients at a community level.
key Facts
What is TB?
Tuberculosis (also known as “TB“) is a disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. TB primarily infects the lungs, and is transmitted as aerosol droplets when an untreated patient coughs or sneezes.
why care?
Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent (above HIV/AIDS); millions of people worldwide suffer from active TB. In India alone, more than 2 million contract the disease annually.
current challenges
The emergence of multidrug resistant strains of TB (MDR-TB) remains the major barrier to TB eradication due to a lack of strategic TB control programs and a superficial approach towards standard treatment opportunities.
India statistics 2018
Population : 1 353 million
WHO Global Tuberculosis report 2018
Common Myths
Tuberculosis is curable
In India treatment is free to everyone, regardless of status.
If a patient follows the complete treatment module, then the patient can be cured.
Awards
Microbiology Society Outreach Prize 2020
Birkbeck Public engagement Award 2020
Press room & gallery
Seed fund for the project
Swarna Chitrakar
At the ISAR conference
School visit at Piyali
A Lifelong Collaboration
Bridging the Gap between Laboratory science and Public Health Research
Joi Hok! is now collaborating with Mycobacteria Research Laboratory (MRL); a joint facility of ISMB and the UCL-TB Centre, which hosts specialised state-of the art microbiology laboratories enabling structural, molecular microbiology and biochemistry research with mycobacterial spp. including Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
"This partnership would create further opportunities to engage our research with the public, and highlight the key role of academic institutions in drug discovery research and tackling antibiotic resistance in superbugs."
Professor Sanjib Bhakta
Head of ISMB Mycobacteria Research Lab
The innovation of JoiHok! would help raise public interest in the ongoing TB research taking place at MRL - through novel techniques of public engagement and a process of creative enquiry.
Our Leadership
Sreyashi Basu
Project Director
Being a recent graduate from University College London, my understanding of tuberculosis was only limited to a molecular level, within the perimeter of a science Laboratory . Though it is important to find a permanent cure for Tuberculosis , complete eradication is not possible without an involvement of the community. Such mass involvement comes in step with awareness first. I felt an irrepressible urge to do something for TB awareness as multidrug resistance is causing havoc in India.With this unique initiative which uses different art forms to engage and connect – I hope to approach more than 5000 children in underprivileged schools .The campaign will not only sharpen the perceptions of the children regarding Tuberculosis , but also provide a better understanding of the reasons behind the re-emergence of this deadly disease. I hope this campaign ultimately foresees the beginning of a welcome change in the society. Slowly but surely.
Sanjib Bhakta
Professor Collaborator
Sanjib Bhakta is currently a full-Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Biochemistry, Dean (Internationalisation and Partnership) and Programme Director of MRes Global Infectious Diseases at the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology of Birkbeck, University of London and UCL. His continued research interest in infectious bacterial diseases (funded by Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council, Global Challenges Research Fund, UK and EU) is focussed on developing novel therapeutics as well as repurposing existing drugs to tackle antibiotic resistance and persistence in tuberculosis (TB), a global health and economic emergency. To date, he has published more than 110 original research articles for a number of internationally acclaimed journals including J. Exp. Med., JBC, Tuberculosis, Biochem. J., J. Antimicrob. Chemotherapy, Journal of Antibiotics, FEBS J, British Journal of Pharmacology, Molecular Microbiology, British Medical Journal,PLOS, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and Nature Sci Report.
Contact us
Whether you have a question or would like to get involved , drop us an email or call us .
- info@joihok.com
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admin@joihok.com
- 9830884781