New name: Institute of International Health
At Charité, a new platform for Health for All is emerging with the Charité Center for Global Health (CCGH). As part of this reorganization, we have renamed ourselves the Institute of International Health and abandoned the colonially coined term tropical medicine. Otherwise we are there for you as usual: we examine and treat travel returnees and are happy to advise and vaccinate you before your trip.
News - vaccine availability
All vaccines are currently available.
Mpox. As of 28.01.2025. Vaccinations against Mpox are available at the Institute of International Health with advance notification. The current risk for travellers is considered low. Good personal hygiene, avoidance of close contact with sick people and animals and potentially contaminated objects used by sick people are recommended. The probability of transmission of the virus through close contact, for example during sexual activities between people with several sexual partners, is assessed as high. A new aspect of the Mpox variant that has recently emerged in Africa is that very close physical contact, such as in a family context, can also lead to increased infection, including in children and pregnant women. In addition, bushmeat should not be consumed when travelling in Africa. Further information can be found here. If you are expecting a high risk of infection and need to be vaccinated, please contact us via michael.nuernberg(at)charite.de.
Important notice
Dear travellers, dear patients,
To prevent dizziness following vaccination or having blood drawn, we kindly ask you to consider the following:
- You are welcome to drink water provided, as well as eating prior to vaccination/blood being drawn
- Get up slowly from the seat/examination table after vaccination/blood being drawn
- After vaccinations, it is best to remain seated in the waiting area for 10-15 minutes
- If you feel dizzy, sweaty or light-headed, immediately take a safe prevention position such as sitting or lying down (including sitting on the floor).
Thank you very much, Your Institute of International Health
Travel clinic (medical consultation concerning vaccination requirements, vaccinations)
Dear travelers,
the travel clinic (consultation, vaccination before travel) is open for you Mon-Fri: 08:00-19:00 and Sat: 11:00-15:00. We can advise you on health issues relating to long-distance travel and the Mediterranean region. All travel vaccinations (incl. yellow fever vaccination) are available. We do not currently carry out vaccinations against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, but we can advise you individually on adapting your travel vaccinations and on keeping vaccination intervals. An appointment is required. Please book your appointments here. Please select the option travel medical consultation for 1 - 2 persons or 3 - 5 persons, depending on the number of persons. No additional appointments will be made on telephone request. Please only contact us in exceptional cases on 450-565 712 (08:00 - 15:00).
The Institute of International Health of Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin contributes nationally and internationally to health promotion as well as prevention and treatment of tropical diseases.
In our Travel Clinic you will be individually consulted before your travel by specialized doctors on all relevant medical questions including current recommendations on malarial prophylaxis. All necessary vaccinations are offered. The Institute is also an official yellow fever vaccination center.
In our Outpatient Clinic we offer specialized services for the diagnosis and treatment of tropical diseases. In addition, our diagnostic laboratory offers a variety of investigation with a focus on parasitic infections, including rare parasitic infections.
The main Research areas of the Institute are malaria, helminthiases, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases in developing countries. On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) the Institute of International Healh conducts partnership projects with clinics in Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Uganda. Globally, the Institute advises and supports institutions dealing with neglected tropical diseases.
Teaching at the Institute of International Health includes the internationally recognised post-graduate Master of Science in International Health Program, Diploma- and Certificate degrees. The training and further education program of the Institute addresses clinicians and other health-related professions.
Podcast: Colonial Continuities: The Importance of Vulnerability and Emotions
This podcast features interviews with Prof. Heidi Safia Mirza and Dr. Hans-Friedemann Kinkel about the Summer School 'Colonial Continuities in International Health' held from 31 August - 2 September 2022 at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Heidi shares what motivated her to serve as speaker at the Summer School and stay for the full three days of the event. She crystallises themes that ran through the Summer School sessions and discussions, revisits moments that impressed and touched her, and shares suggestions for the 'afterlife' of the event. Friedemann speaks about his personal impressions of the Summer School, the key messages he took away from the event, and how these will impact the Master of Science in International Health program he is heading. Concert pianist Ben Cruchley who attended the Summer School composed and played the accompanying music on the piano in Hörsaal 6, the place where the Summer School was held. Here our flyer.
Podcast
Host: Dr. Hannah Strohmeier, Academic Associate, Institute of International Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Interviewees: Prof. Heidi Safia Mirza, Emeritus Professor UCL Institute of Education; Visiting Professor Race, Faith and Culture, Goldsmiths College, University of London / Dr. med. Hans-Friedemann Kinkel, Coordinator MSc in International Health, Institute of International Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Music: Ben Cruchley
eHealth solutions against antibiotic resistance in Africa
German-African clinic partnerships look for ways to contain the "silent pandemic”
Since 2020, Charité has been involved in a network of German-African clinic partnerships ("COMBAT AMR in Africa"), which aims to map and contain the spread of antibiotic resistance. Recent analysis shows that antibiotic resistance is spreading rapidly in Africa and causing significant mortality. Digitization can help increase the speed of reporting findings in microbiological examinations and thus the likelihood that this information will be taken into account in the treatment of patients. The implementation of such a BMZ-funded project at the partner clinic in Butare, Rwanda is now illustrated:
Germany joins Kigali Declaration against neglected tropical diseases
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) comprise about 20 diseases and put 1.7 billion people at risk worldwide. These include schistosomiasis, African sleeping sickness, and river blindness or onchocerciasis. Poor people in particular are disproportionately affected. Neglect relates primarily to attention, research funding, drug research and health policy. By joining the Kigali Declaration, the German government has committed itself to working with partners to support the affected countries and regions in the fight against NTDs. Germany already supports various programs in this area. In civil society, the German Network against Neglected Tropical Diseases (DNTDs) supports research and development in this area. Members at Charité are the Institute of Microbiology and Infection Immunology and the Institute of International Health.
Links: Press release BMZ