Organising societies

The Research Institution BNITM

Founded in 1900, the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM), originally a department of the Hamburg Health Authority, has been an independent, non-profit research institution in the form of a foundation under public law based in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg since 2008. In accordance with the purpose of the foundation, the BNITM is dedicated to research, teaching, training and further education as well as counselling and care in the field of tropical diseases and emerging infectious diseases.

The institute combines modern laboratory research on the biology of pathogens, their reservoirs and vectors with clinical research on the pathophysiology, epidemiology and disease control of tropical diseases in endemic areas. Current foci are malaria, worm infections and other parasitoses as well as diseases caused by arboviruses and haemorrhagic fever viruses, and the development of new diagnostics. For the handling of highly pathogenic pathogens and infected insects, the Institute has laboratories of the highest biological safety (BSL-3, BSL-4) as well as a safety insectarium (BSL-3).

The Institute's services include special laboratory diagnostics for tropical and other rare infections as well as advice for physicians, science, industry, politics and the public, which contribute significantly to the Institute's national importance. The Institute houses the National Reference Centre for Tropical Infectious Agents and the Consultative Laboratory for Bornaviruses. The Department of Virology at the BNITM is a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Arboviruses and Haemorrhagic Fever Viruses, and the Health Communication Working Group has been designated a WHO Collaborating Centre for Behavioural Research in Global Health (BRIGHT).

The BNITM coordinates a number of mobile laboratories that strengthen local laboratory capacity in requesting countries to respond rapidly to outbreaks of serious infectious diseases.

Teaching activities include a three-month, full-day course on all aspects of tropical medicine for medical doctors, as well as an advanced training programme for doctoral students at the Institute and a range of continuing education courses on topics related to travel medicine and international health. Numerous scientists from the Institute are involved in student teaching as appointed professors of the University and the University Hospital Hamburg.

In cooperation with the Ghanaian Ministry of Health and the University of Kumasi, the Institute has been operating a modern research and training centre in West Africa for 25 years, which is also available to external working groups. In addition, there are numerous research cooperations with scientists and scientific institutions in various African countries. In addition to Ghana, institutions in Gabon and Nigeria are also key cooperation partners.

As a member of the Leibniz Association, the Institute is jointly financed by the Federal Government, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and the other federal states as a research institute of superregional importance. On the part of Hamburg, the BNITM is assigned to the Ministry for Science, Research, Equalities and Districts (BWFGB), on the part of the federal government to the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG). (www.bnitm.de).

Aims and tasks of the Society

The DTG was founded in 1907 and currently has about 1500 members. As a scientific society, it aims to bring together physicians, medical researchers, veterinarians, natural and social scientists who practice, research, advise or are particularly interested in the fields of tropical medicine and global health. The DTG is a member of the Association of Scientific Medical Societies (AWMF) and of the Federation of European Societies of Tropical Medicine and International Health (FESTMIH).

The areas of Tropical Medicine and Global Health deal with the medical and health problems in the tropics and subtropics and in developing countries. This includes all aspects of clinical medicine, hygiene and microbiology, epidemiology, social and environmental medicine and related subjects.

In addition to research into and control of diseases of the tropics and developing countries, an important field of activity is Travel Medicine, i.e. the diagnosis and treatment of imported diseases among travellers and migrants, as well as preventive medical advice and care for travellers before and after stays in the tropics, subtropics and developing countries. The DTG has set up a Standing Travel Medicine Committee (StAR) for this task, consisting of representatives from various tropical institutes, societies and institutions, who are working on evidence-based statements on current travel medicine issues.

The tasks of the DTG include the exchange of experience between Germany and abroad, the promotion of research and teaching, the promotion of young talents, the support of further education in this field, both in Germany and in tropical countries, the advice to authorities, organizations and media as well as the information in the field of tropical and travel medicine, including the development of up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines and recommendations. The society pursues exclusively non-profit and scientific purposes in the sense of the non-profit regulation of 24.12.1963.

DTG organizes a scientific congress every year, during which the ordinary general meeting of the members takes place.

FESTMIH, the Federation of European Societies for Tropical Medicine and International Health, is a European network aiming to improve the health status of people worldwide by establishing partnerships and mobilising professionals and by promoting and disseminating research in Global Health (GH) and Tropical Medicine (TM). The network was founded in 1994 in the build-up to the first European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health in Hamburg one year later. Therefore, next ECTMIH will be FESTMIH’s 30^th anniversary. Activities of the network include: the organisation of European Congresses (since 1995 we co-organised thirteen ECTMIHs throughout Europe) and of other scientific meetings at European and international congresses; the publication of the Journal Tropical Medicine and International Health; liaising with European schools of GH and TM; and advocating for universal access to health and equity in health. FESTMIH is publishing a News of the month and a newsletter and organises webinars on GH and TM topics. Meet the network and our members on the FESTMIH website (www.festmih.eu).

Our values

• Universal access: we support universal access to health and equity in health
• Inclusiveness: we strive for inclusiveness
• Global health and tropical medicine: we are a professional organisation building on the interdisciplinary expertise of our member societies
• Diversity: we emphasize the value and importance of cultural diversity and human rights in achieving better health for all
• Collaboration: we promote European and global collaboration and networking in global health and tropical medicine
• Research and development: we believe in the crucial role of research and development, with emphasis on low resource settings / low- and middle-income countries, in achieving better health for all