About the NVTG

The Netherlands Society for Tropical Medicine and International Health (NVTG) is dedicated to the improvement of the health care in low- and middle income countries. Read more about our mission and activities.

Research, education and knowledge

The Netherlands Society for Tropical Medicine and International Health was founded in 1907. For more than 100 years, the NVTG is dedicated to the improvement of the health care in low- and middle income countries. In this regard the NVTG supports and stimulates research, provides education and promotes the exchange of expertise and knowledge in the field of tropical medicine and international health. The NVTG also contributes to Dutch health care in the light of global health.

The Society is governed by a board, consisting of 10 board members from different institutions and organisations. There are two committees, a Science Committee active in stimulating research in international health matters; and a Education Committee, which oversees the training in Tropical Medicine (in the Netherlands) and coordinates the practical part of this training programme.

Members of the society are professionals in the fields of medicine, social science, public health and other relevant disciplines engaged in tropical medicine and international health. The backbone of the NVTG is formed by 14 scientific working parties, active in health care in developing countries in areas including family medicine, child health, dermatology, surgery, urology, safe motherhood and medical anthropology.

The NVTG has around 900 members.

Activities of the society include:

• The publication of a three-monthly magazine in English, 'MT Bulletin of the Netherlands Society for Tropical Medicine and International Health'
• The provision of the post graduate training programme 'Dutch Doctor in Global Health and Tropical Medicine' (GH&TM), through the independent training institute Global Health and Tropical Medicine (OIGT). This training equips doctors with the competences needed to work in an international setting, at the cross roads of clinical care and public health, working for disadvantaged populations. The institute is not linked to a specific university, but has an advisory board with members from five Dutch universities. The OIGT institute is related to the NVTG who has trained Dutch doctors for more than 40 years. The training is recognised and accredited by the Royal Dutch Association of Physicians (KNMG). The training programme has two streams: 1) Residencies in Paediatrics and Obstetrics & Gynaecology; 2) Residencies in Surgery and Obstetrics & Gynaecology. Read more about this 3-year training programme on the website of the OIGT.
• The organization of congresses, symposia. Our annual congress this year takes place on November 9, in Amsterdam. This year's congress focuses on ethical dilemmas in global health. How to ensure a fair distribution of scarce resources for health? How to counterbalance the recruitment of skilled health professionals from low resource settings, whilst respecting people’s right to migrate? Decisions on the content of a (global) health research agenda can lead to ethical dilemmas. Finding the right balance between the interests of involved stakeholders is key to managing ethical dilemmas in health. The congress is in English, registry is possible on the symposium page of the NVTG.
  Each year we publish a call for proposals for small scale research in low- and middle-income countries. The call is open for members of the NVTG, and made possible via a fund (the Otto Kranendonk Fonds).

The NVTG network includes:

• NVTG Scientific Working Parties
• NGOs, academia in the Netherlands and globally
• Advocacy organisations, research institutes
• Federation of European Societies for Tropical Medicine and International Health, see: festmih.eu

For more information please contact the NVTG at ofni.[antispam].@nvtg.org