Annals ofthe M.B.C - vol. I - n° 1 - September 1987

MBC NEWS

MEDITERRANEAN BURNS CLUB

CONSTITUTION

ART. 1
The MEDITERRANEAN BURNS CLUBS is constituted, with the aim of creating a permarnent forum for dialogue on burns and burn emergencies among specialists from countries in the Mediterranean basin, linked by common historical, cultural, intellectual and geographical ties.
It is inspired by the Statutes of the lnternational Society of Burn injuries which, inter alia, (Art. 2 (4,5), aims:
- to encourage the highest standard of care in all countries and to bring to them the nost valid contribution by all possible means;
- to encourage cooperation among all countries through the exchange of informatiDn by all possible means.

ART. 2
All specialists in burns and related health problems, from countries in the Mediterranean basin, may Join the Club.

ART. 3
The purpose of the Mediterranean Birns Club is:

    - to call meetings at times and in places to be decided on each occasion to consider a theme for seminars, or panels with free or pre-agreed discussion;
    - to seek appropriate ways and instruments for the dissemination of the results of such meetings;
    - to integrate, by the exchange of letters between individual members and groups, in.2ormation, knowledge, studies, researches and any other elements that may enrich the cultural, intellectual and scientific wealth of the Club and of its members;
    - to promote the interchange of individual types of culture in the various Mediterranean countries;
    - to assist young physicians to enter the field of burns research and care;
    - to assist in the preparation and development of research programmes among members with a view to increasing, strengthening and extending links and personal cooperation in the various countries of the region.

ART. 4
The representatives of the Mediterranean countries present at the Meeting of Burns Specialists from the Mediterranean area held in Palermo on 15th September 1983 constitute the Founder Members of the Club.

ART. 5
The Seat of the Club is the City of Palermo, Italy, promoter of the First Meeting of Burns Specialists from the Mediterranean area.

ART. 6
Ordinary Members of the Club, among whom are included also Founder Members, are appointed among all specialists in burns pathology belonging to all Mediterranean countries who are presented by at least twothirds (2/3) of the Founder Members, until full representation of all countries in the Mediterranean area is achieved.
Thereafter, presentation may be by two Ordinary Members.

ART. 7
The First General Assembly may be held when representation from every country is achieved.

ART. 8
The General Assembly appoints the President, the Se cretary General and the Treasurer who remain in office for three years and may be reconfirmed;

    - it approves the general direction of the Club's activity as formulated by the President and the Secretary General;
    - it approves the determines the admission of new Members and Membership fees;
    - it approves the budget.

The President chairs the meeting and together with the Secretary General and the Treasurer ensures the advancement and orderly work of the Club.
The Secretary General will have the administrative charge of the Club;

    - will provide for the presentation of the annual programme, for the collection of the contributions supplied by the State, by the Regions, by local Bodies and in general by any public or private Body;
    - and will represent the Club at any administrative Authority of the State (also at tax offices).

If the Assembly in proceeding to appoint the Secretary General should nominate for this Office a Member not residing in Palermo, the above-mentioned administrative functions will be assigned to the Treasurer for the entire period during which the Secretary General not residing in Palermo remains in office.
The Treasurer keeps the accounts and collects the dues of the Club Members.

ART. 9
The Club's financial resources are constituted by the contributions of the Members, by donations and by any other contributions from whatever source.

ART. 10
The Club is a non-profit making organisation and any financial assets are reinvested for the advancement of the aims of the Club.

To all members of the Mediterranean Burns Club
December 1987

Dear Colleague,

You will be pleased to knov that your MBC has been granted Liaison Member privileges in the International Federation of Surgicai Colleges. This is an unusual distinction, asI normahy, the Federation admits only the one, senior surgical College or Association in any one country. It is thas the principal Federation of national surgical Colleges or Associations, (not individual surgeons) at the global level. It is in official relations with the world Health Organization and acts as its principal adviser on World surgical matters.
I am pleased to attach a Short History of the IFSC and we look forward to a meaningful collaboration with this most important forum of surgical thinking.


With best wishes,
S.W.A. Gunn
President, MBC

SHORT HISTORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SURGICAL COLLEGES


The International Federation of Surgical Colleges was founded in Stockholm, in 1958, by representatives of the national surgical institutions of some thirteen countries who believed there was a need for an international body that could speak for world surgery on problems of common interest and promote advances in the standards of training and practice. The stimulus for the creation of the Federation came principally from the Colleges of Surgeons in America and the British Commonwealth which had long traditions and experience of working closely with each other and with other countries, especially the developing countries who looked to the older Colleges for advice and support in the establishment and maintenance of surgical standards.
Unlike most other international bodies in medicine at that time, the Federation was not to be representative of individual surgeons but of National Colleges, Academies and Associations. To be eligible for membership such a body had to show that it was the principal representative of surgery in its own country and, because one of the aims of the founders was the unification of surgery in all its branches, the membership was limited to the main all-embracing national bodies. In the years which have followed, a number of specialities have evolved their own world organisations, and such are generally invited to enter into a liaison membership with the Federation. Since its inception the Federation has accepted into membership forty-three national surgical organisations and is in liaison with ten international bodies. It is also affiliated with the World Health Organisation as one of its recognised "Non-Governmental Organisations".
Since 1975 an additional tier of Associates has been introduced to include in the Federation's activities those individuals who, being already members of one or another member organisation, are interested in participating in the Federation meetings and in contributing to its work.
The Federation is governed by a Council consisting of a President, two Vice-Presidents, the immediate Past President, and one representative of each member institution. Other delegates, Associates, and members of liaison organisations may attend the meetings of Council but may not vote. The term of office of President and Vice- Presidents is three years.
The Council meets annually, on the occasion of the biennial congress of the International Society of Surgery and, in the alternate years, with the annual meeting of one of the member institutions. The preparation of these meetings and any other interval business is handled by an Executive Committee of ten persons: the President, Vice-Presidents, the immediate Past President, and six members who are selected from time to time by the Council and who serve for three years, being eligible for re-election for one further term of three years. An Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer are elected for terms of five years and serve ex-officio on the ExecuLve Committee.
The object of the Federation is the improvement and maintenance of standards of ~;urgery throughout the world, in particular by

1. the establishment and maintena~ice of co-operation and interchange of medical and surgical information among surgical colleges ard kindred surgical institutions approved by the Federation;
2. encouragement of high stand~Irds of education, training and research in surgery and its allied sciences;
3. the unification of surgery in all its specialities;
4. the support of clinical and scientific congresses of surgical institutions and organisations approved by the Federation;
5. co-operation in developing the best possible standards of surgical facilities and treatment and in providing appropriate surgical tiaming in all countries requesting aid.

The fulfilment of these aims was entrusted, for the first ten years of the FederaCon's existence, to Working Parties in Training, Research, Interchange of Young Surgeons, and Surgical Miss~ons. Each of these eventually became identified with a specific project on completion of which the function of the Working Parties reverted to the Executive Committee.
Undoubtedly the most successful of the Federation's activities has been the unbroken series of Annual Council Meetings, joint meetings with the International Society of Surgery alternating with visits to one or another of the member organisations. On each occasion one or more symposia have been arranged, as listed on the following pages, on a wide variety of topics. The annual meetings are attended by fifteen to thirty-five representatives and these numbers have held up well despite the large increases in travel costs of recent years. New organisations are still admitted to the Federation at the rate of one or two each year, though this is now balanced by those that withdraw support for one reason or another.
The Federation has never been lavishly endowed The founding organisations contributed 10 cents US each year for each of their subscribing members. The Federation's annual budget figure in those days was about £. 2,500. The present subscription rate is 35 cents per member, with a minimum subscription of $195. Associates contribute generously at least $25 a year each, and over the years there have been very welcome contributions for specific purposes from the Buckitigham Foundation, the Mars Foundation, Dr. Rhoads and the late Professor Nuboer. Office expenses, including secretarial salary, telephone, audit charges, stationery, printing and postage now cost about £. 9,500 a year.


INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SURGICAL COLLEGES CONSTITUTION
(Revised January 1975)

  1. The International Federation of Surgical Colleges (hereinafter called "the Federation") shall be composed of Surgical Colleges, Academies and kindred surgical institutions throughout the world, but not of individual persons; and shall be govern,ed by a Council (hereinafter called "the Council") consisting of a President and two Vice-Presidents, the immediate Past President and one representative of each member-institution.
  2. The objective of the Federation shall be the improvement and maintenance of standards of surgery throughout the world by any charitable means and in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing words, by all or any of the following means in so far as they are charitable:

    3. (a) The establishment and maintenance of cooperation and interchange of medical and surgical information among surgical Colleges and kindred surgical institutions approved by the Federation.
    (b) Encouragement of the maintenance of high standards of education, tiaining and research in surgery and its allied sciences throughout the world.
    (c) The unification of surgery in all its specialties.
    (d) The support of the clinical and scientific congresses of surgical institutions and organisations approved by the Federation.
    (e) The provision of surgery, surgical training and surgical hospitals of high standard to all of the countries of the world requesting aid.

  3. The Council shall have power to accept or invite applications from such surgical institutions as may be thought appropriate For membership. On the receipt of an application a ballot shall be held which may be a postal ballol or a ballot of those present at a meeting of the Council, and admission shall be secured only by a favourable vote of two-thirds or more of the Council. The Executive Committee hereinafter mentioned shall determine whether a postal vote be taken or whether the application be considered at the next meeting of the Council. The Council stall also have power by,a vote of two-thirds or more of its members to expel from the Federation any member-institution which in the opinion of the Council ceases to support the main objective of the Federation.
  4. The Council shall meet annually. Where two or more member-institutions from any one country are represented on the Council they shall not entitled to separate votes but shall have a joint vote on any matter to be decided by the Council by ballot.
  5. The Council shall elect a President and two VicePresidents each of whom shall hold office for three years. The Vice-President, bat not the President, may be re-elected for one firther term of three years. The immediate Past President shall serve on Council for a period of 1hree years ex-officio with no entitlement to vote.
  6. The Council shall have power to elect other International bodies as Liaison Members and to invite them to appoint delegates to serve on Council and participate fully in its deliberations. Such delegates shall not, however, be entitled to hold office or vote.
  7. The Executive Committee shall consist of ten persons, being the President and Vice-Presidents of the Federation as ex-officio members, six persons elected from time to time by the Council, and the immediate Past President who shall serve for a term of three years and shall not be entitled to vote. The elected members shall be elected for terms of three years, and may be re-elected for one further term of three years.
  8. The elected members of the Executive Committee shall not include more than one member of any member-institution. If the President or Vice-President is a member of the same institution as one of the elected members he shall not be entitled to a separate vote.
  9. In the case of an elected member being unable to attend any meeting of the Executive Committee, the member-institution of which he is a member may appoint a substitute for that occasion.
  10. The Executive Commitee shall meet as and when required by the Council or the President of the Federation.
  11. The Council shall appoint an officer or officers who shall be responsible to the Council for the administration and organisation of its affairs. Council may appoint such officers as ex-officio members of the Executive Committee and/or Council and shall determine their periods of office.
  12. This Constitution, except Clause 2 hereof, may be altered by a vote of the majority of two-thirds or more of the members of the Council. Not less than two months' notice of any proposed alteration to the Constitution must be given to each member-institution prior to the meeting of the Council at which the alteration is made.

 

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