• Non-profit, Care and Research Institute (IRCCS)
• Established by MOH to define/ implement priority National Health Plan activities
• Core mission: pulmonary, heart and neuro-muscular rehabilitation
• Public Health and Prevention services: monitoring and preventing air pollution and occupational-related diseases.
• FSM is composed of 18 Centres in Lombardia, Piemonte, Veneto, Liguria, Puglia, Campania, Sicilia offering > 2,000 beds.
• Fondazione has published in 2007 over 728 articles (IF 1,332), 90 books and 20 guidelines.
• FSM HQ is placed in Pavia. Each Institution is largely autonomous, although can benefit from the network services (bio-engeneering/informatics; central drug purchaising, etc). To better co-ordinate planning and research activities, the different units had been grouped into departments (e.g. Pneumonology, Cardiology, ect.).
• Quality Assurance Office: Fondazione is certified by UNI EN ISO 9001:2000

WHO Collaborating Centre for Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases

• Located in the Tradate Centre, the WHO Collaborating Centre is involved in operational research, technical assistance and training on TB, TB/HIV, MDR-/XDR-TB control, particularly in Africa and Eastern Europe since 2000.
• It belongs to the Pulmonology Department, a body coordinating all departments working on lung health.
• The WHO Collaborating Centre had been recognized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as one of three Centres of Excellence for international TB control activities.
• The WHOCC is active at the global level, particularly in Europe and in Africa.
• In Europe the WHOCC acts as secretariat of TBNET (TB Research Network Trialsgroup), of the ERS Assembly 10 and of the Europe Region, IUATLD.

Research Activities

• Research projects implemented:
  • economic analysis Russia, Romania, Italy
  • Implementation of a new TB control programme in a post-war setting (Kosovo),
  • cost-effectiveness of DOTS Plus, Estonia,
  • implementation of DRS and EQA system in Mozambique (almost completed) and in Burkina (preparation stage)
  • In Italy the WHOCC has promoted, designed and coordinated DRS/EQA and treatment outcome evaluation since 1995 in collaboration with the HSR, MOH
• Among the research priorities the WHO CC is involved in
  • development of new diagnostics
  • management of MDR/XDR-TB
  • Development of a tool designed to support countries in identifying gaps and propose solutions to improve their activities to prevent and manage MDR- and XDR-TB

Technical assistance

• Design and monitoring of TB and TB/HIV control programmes in: Russian Federation, Romania, Ukraine, Moldova, Turkey, Kosovo, Estonia, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Uganda and Mozambique.
• Implementation (with WHO) of the first DOTS pilot project in Russia (Ivanovo Oblast, Russian Federation) and Romania (Iasi County), the two priority countries in Europe in terms of burden (Russia) and incidence (Romania).
• Implementation (with EU) of the pilot project of TB control in Kyiv (Ukraine)
• Training preliminary to DOTS implementation in Moldova
• Implementation of the first 4 DOTS projects in Turkey
• Training and DOTS Plus implementation in Estonia
• Major contribution in training and programme implementation in Kosovo (in collaboration with DOW and WHO

Training Activities

• WHO CC annually provides training courses for TB consultants and national TB programme managers in Italy and abroad (Russia, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Nigeria) in collaboration with other Agencies
• 28 training courses have been organized in Italy (Sondalo)
  • more than 1000 participants from National Tuberculosis Programmes from all the 22 high-burden countries, all the European WHO Region countries and the majority of countries from all continents.
  • Target participants: TB and HIV managers and consultants, TB experts, central level staff operating at national or subnational level, responsible for planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating TB, TB/HIV and MDR-/XDR-TB control activities.
• The different typologies of training courses offered by the WHO Collaborating Centre are the following:
  • WHO Training course on implementing the new Stop TB Strategy
  • WHO Training course for managers on TB infection control
  • Programmatic management of TB/HIV co-infection in Europe