Bulgam Bhai - Campaign to Improve Case Detection of TB

As part of Global Fund Round 9 (Project Axshya) funded by The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases and implemented by Population Services Internationaland BBCWST has designed and produced a 360 degree communication campaign to improve case detections of TB, which means increased sputum testing at the nearest Designated Microscopy Centers (DMC); for people having persistent cough for 2 weeks or more.

BBCWST had launched this innovative campaign by organizing a press event on 15/2/12  to formally release the campaign outputs to the media and elicit  their support by creating surround sound for the campaign.

BulgumBhai Campaign

BulgamBhai is a sort of superhero character who lives in a den in an undisclosed location and has this unique (totally out dated signal receiving device) which detects any sound of cough anywhere. On hearing which our man using his superhero powers transports himself to the spot and in an intimidating, intrusive, comic, concerned manner asks the person who is coughing ‘Doo Haftey Ho Gaye Kya? (Are two weeks up). BulgamBhai does this in multiple situations across region, strata and age and at the closing makes a ‘call to action’.


As part of this campaign, taking a creative leap we turned the repulsiveness of sputum on its head and developed BulgamBhai (Sputum in Hindi is called Bulgam). With time and increased media exposure this property will gain currency of its own and become symbolic with a radar/alarm for sputum testing in case of persistent cough for two weeks. It’s going to be a 360 degree campaign reaching out through both mass media and on ground activation. The media outreach will include (T.V/Radio long & short format/outdoor publicity, street theatre, video on wheels Vans, a range of on ground activation support materials etc.)

The campaign will focus on increasing sputum testing at the nearest DMC (Designated Microscopy Centre). As per the grant, the campaign is to be done across six states, but during our discussions and presentations with the donor and the Ministry of Health (Central TB Division) the idea has made a powerful connect and already the stakeholders are talking about a national scale up.


Its time we raised voice over this issue, make your contribution, share this post with your friends and spread the awareness.


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As part of campaign, the above post has been authored by Akshat Gupta