Participants from seven of the countries hardest hit by multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) gathered in Tartu, Estonia to attend the 19th international tuberculosis course organised by The Finnish Lung Health Association (Filha), Estonian National Tuberculosis Control Programme, Tartu University Clinics, World Health Organization–Europe and The Union. The seven-day course, first held in 1996, is taught in Russian and has long been an important resource for the region. The curriculum offers intensive training on tuberculosis, MDR-TB and TB-HIV; and it also includes study tours to local health facilities.
This year’s faculty was equally international with representatives from the Tartu University Hospital; the WHO Collaboration Centre on Research and Training on MDR-TB, Latvia; Northern State Medical University, Russia; Helsinki Deaconess Institute, Finland; and the National Institute for Health Development of Estonia.
The 26 participants came from Estonia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. With the exception of Turkmenistan, all are among the 27 countries with world’s highest burden of MDR-TB. The extent of the challenge for this region is clear from the fact that 15 of the 27 are in the Russian Federation, Central Europe and Central Asia.
Filha and its partners have already schedule the 20th international TB course in Estonia, which will be held from 19 to 26 August 2015. Further details will be posted at www.theunion.org as they become available.