The Finnish Anti-tuberculosis Association, the predecessor of Filha, was founded in 1907 and it concentrated for over 50 years to the fight against tuberculosis in Finland. When the situation improved and the public health care system started to manage tuberculosis patients, the activities of the Association were re-oriented towards other lung diseases and also international cooperation.

Nowadays Filha is one of the main actors organising training for health care professionals in Finland. Filha carries out regularly different training events, for example the National Congress of Infectious Diseases and the National Congress of COPD.

Filha has been the initiator and an active participant in different expert groups working on National Guidelines for asthma, COPD, tuberculosis, sleep apnoea and allergy.

International projects of Filha are based on close cooperation with the World Health Organization and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. Filha has several years experience in carrying out tuberculosis project in the Northwest Russia. Filha is also implementing a large lung health project in Kyrgyzstan.

Filha's activities are mostly financed by Ministries and other public sources and by the yield of the property of the association.