Harmonisation of TB control in the WHO European region: the history of the Wolfheze Workshops

Abstract

In 1990 a workshop was organised in the village of Wolfheze (the Netherlands), where experts discussed the critical interventions that would foster elimination of TB in Europe. This event has been followed by several more over the following two decades to become known as the "Wolfheze Workshops". This article provides a brief overview of the history and the impact the Wolfheze Workshops have had on the commitment of European governments to standardise definitions, recording and reporting systems and, thus, permitted comparison of interventions and improving TB control across borders. The Wolfheze Workshops have been and still are an essential platform for this exchange of experiences, promoting common approaches.