Annals oj'Burns and Fire Disasters - vol. XI - n. 1
- March 1998
MBC NEWS
INFORMATIC UPDATE
Informatic Update
is a new feature that we shall be publishing regularly as from this issue of Annals.
Our aim is to create a space where we can inform our readers about new developments in
information technology and review any new products which they may wish to submit to our
attention.
Information science has taken on an ever more important role in the medical field in the
last few years and the computer is now an irreplaceable work tool, especially for data
storing and processing. However, our years of experience with computerization at the
Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns Therapy in Palermo have led us to believe that the
computer can also be applied more specifically in the clinical field.
At present not many such clinical applications exist, mainly because medical software can
only be developed by persons who are competent in the two fields of medical and
information science.
Another purpose of this new feature is to stimulate collaboration among all those who -
like us - believe in the future development of the clinical application of the computer
and to attract the attention of people who are not yet fully aware of the computer's
potential. Relevant articles and actual applications can be sent to the address below:
Annals of Mediterranean Club for Burns and Fire Disasters (MBC)
Informatic News
Divisione di Chirurgia Plastica e Terapia delle Ustioni.
Ospedale Civico, Via Carmelo Lazzaro, 90127 Palermo, Italy
E-Mail: mbcpa@cres.it
MBC - PREVENTION
CAMPAIGN
The MBC, in the context of
the activities laid down in its Statute and intended to promote burn prevention campaigns,
has produced the following videotapes:
- The Prevention of Burns in Children
- The Prevention of Electrical Burns in
Everyday Life
- The Prevention of Electrical Burns at Work
- The Prevention of Industrial Disasters
- How to Defend ourselves from Fire
- How to Defend ourselves from Forest Fire
The tapes have been
dubbed in English, French, Arabic, Italian, Spanish, Greek and Turkish and come in two
versions, U-MATIC and VHS.
All the tapes are available entirely free of charge to MBC Members who apply in writing to
receive them explaining their reasons and undertaking to use them exclusively to promote a
burn prevention campaign in their respective countries.
For non-members of MBC the tapes are available at a cost of US$ 25 each, including postal
charge.
Please address requests
to: Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters, Divisione di Chirurgia Plastica e Terapia delle
Ustioni, Ospedale Civico, Via C. Lazzaro, 90127 Palermo, Italy, Tel.: + 39 91 6663631 -
Fax: + 39 91 596404.
THE
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SURGICAL COLLEGES
INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR 1998 TRAVEL GRANTS
AND SURGICAL SCHOLARSHIPS
One of the principal aims
of the International Federation of Surgical Colleges is to provide international
educational opportunities and training programs for promising surgeom especially from the
developing countries. 'I lie Fcderation offers four Travel Grants annually
through its own funds, and provides other Scholarships through its Affiliates. A)
Travcl Grants are open only to young medical graduates and surgical residents from the
developing world who have completed local training programs. The Grant is pininuily for
the purpose of promoting worthwhile contacts and scientific exchanges by attending a major
surgical meeting of the candidate's choice (see list below), but it is hoped that the
grantee will also take the opportunity of visiting other surgical centers in the country
where the scientific meeting is being held. Each Grant will not cxceed t)S$ 4,000, seen
mainly as a contribution towards travel, hotel and living costs during the meeting. It is
to be noted that the Grant does not guarantee total coverage of the~c costs and any
excess iriust be met by the grantee. On his/her return home the successful candidate will
be expected to make a written report to the IFSC. Application forms can be obtained from
the address below. They must be completed in full and returned, together with the required
letters of sponsorship, to the IFSC, to arrivc not later March 31, 1998. Surgical
scientific meetings taking place in 1998 are: 1. Royal Australasian College
of Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress, May 1998;
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Clinical and Scientific Meeting, May 1998;
Mcditerranean Club for Burns and Fire Disasters and IFSC Meeting, September 1998, Italy;
1. American College of Surgeons Annual Clinical Congress, October 1998, USA. B) Thc
Federation is also proud of being in a position to offer Scholarships through the
generosity of its affiliated Member organizations. For details please consult the IFSC
News or write to the Federation's office, as below. Such scholarship are available in
conjunction with the: 1. American College of Surgeons; 2. DeLliNche GeselIschaft far
Chirurgie; ~. Mediterianean Club for Burns and Fire Disasters. Write ot fax now to: Hie
Secretary General, International Federation of Surgical Colleges, Hospital of the
University of Pennsylvania, Department of Surgery - 4 Silverstein, 1400 Spince Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA, Tel.: + 215 662-2024 - Fax: + 215 349-5849 - E-Mail: muldoon@mail.med.upenn.edu Yhis is a service
to deserving surgeons in the developing countries. The Mediterranean Club for Burns and
Fire Disasters is a Member of the International Federation of Surgical Colleges.
10th
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MEDITERRANEAN CLUB
FOR BURNS AND FIRE DISASTERS (MBC)
30th OCTOBER 1998 - ATHENS
PROPOSALS TO MODIFY THE MBC
STATUTES
The MBC was founded in 1983, since when it
has been growing in structure and functions. Considering the new organizational structure
of the Club, new activities developed in these past years, and future action as WHO
Collaborating Centre, it is necessary to consider some modifications in the Club Statutes.
The proposals made below will be presented at the General Assembly at the next Meeting of
the MBC in Athens.
Present Statute
Art. 6 Ordinary Members
of the Club, who include the Founder Members, are appointed among specialists in burns
pathology and in fire disasters from all the Mediterranean Countries
Art. 7 The
Assembly appoints the President, the Secretary General and the Treasurer who remain in
office for three years and may be re-appointed; approves the general direction of the
Club's activities, as formulated by the President and the Secretary General; approves the
admission of new Members and determines the Membership fees; and approves the budget. For
the approval of the budget in years when the Assembly will be unable to meet, the Assembly
appoints beforehand, in its last meeting, a Committee that will have the function of
approving the budget. The Committee will remain in office until the next Assembly and will
be composed of at least five Members. The President and the Secretary General are Members
by right of the Committee.
The Secretary General will represent the Club for administrative purposes, and will
therefore provide for the presentation of the annual programme and collection of
contributions supplied by the State, the Regions, local Bodies and in general by any
public or private body, and represent the Club before any administrative Authority of the
State (including 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.
Proposed modification
Art. 6 Membership of the Club Membershipcomprises
the following categories:
6.1 Founder Members
6.2 Ordinary Members
6.3 Honorary Members
6.4 Associate Members
6.1 Founder Members: as
defined in Art. 4.
6.2 Ordinary Members of the Club, who include the Founder Members, are
appointed among specialists in burns pathology and fire disasters from all Mediterranean
countries.
6.3 Retired Members
and other distinguished personalities who have dedicated part or all of their professional
activity to the treatment, research and teaching of burn disease may be appointed Honorary
Members.
6.4 Burn Specialists from countries outside the Mediterranean basin can
be admitted as Associate Members. Associate Members do not have a vote.
6.5 A new Member must be introduced by two MBC Members.
Art. 7 The Organs of the
Club:
7.1 General Assembly
7.2 President
7.3 Secretary General
7.4 Treasurer
7.5 Executive Committee
7.6 Special Committees
7.7 National Representatives
7.8 Regional Representatives
7.1 The General Assembly
is constituted of Ordinary and Honorary Members. It:
a) appoints the President, the Secretary
General and the Treasurer, who
constitute the Bureau of the Club;
b) appoints the National
Representatives and the Honorary Members;
c) approves the general direction of the Club's activities, as formulated by the President
and the Secretary General;
d) approves the admission of the Members and determines the membership fees;
e) approves the budget.
The General Assembly meets
every two years, coinciding with the Congress of the Club.
7.2 The President is the
senior officer of the Club, presides over the General Assembly, and ensures the cohesion,
continuity, international standing, scientific integrity, and spirit of the Club.
He remains in office for four years and may be re-elected.
7.3 The Secretary General
represents the Club for administrative purposes, and provides the presentation of the
programmes and collection of contributions supplied by the State, the Regions, local
bodies, and in general by any public or private body. He represents the Club before any
administrative Authority of the State (including tax offices). He is elected for four
years and may be re-elected.
7.4 The Treasurer
supervises the finances, collects the dues, and keeps the books of the Club.
He is elected for four years and may be re-elected.
7.5 The Executive
Committee consists of the Chairmen of the Special Committees, the President, the Secretary
General, and the Treasurer.
It has also the function of approving the budget in the years when the Assembly does not
meet and examines the applications for MBC Scholarships.
7.6 Special Committees.
They study and propose operational activity in sectors of particular interest to the Club
and to Member Countries. These sectors are proposed by the General Assembly.
7.7 National
Representatives: These are ordinary Members who are actively engaged in the field of burns
and disasters. They are proposed by the Executive Committee and approved at the General
Assembly. National Representatives remain in office for four years and may be re-elected.
On cessation of activity they may be appointed Honorary Members. National Representatives
who are absent from the General Assembly on two consecutive occasions are declared to have
ceased office and must be replaced in the same manner as defined above.
7.8 Regional
Representatives: as the Club is designated a WHO Collaborating Centre, its action and
presence extend beyond the countries of the Mediterranean. To reflect this global
importance the Bureau nominates one Regional Representative for each of the six geographic
Regions of the World Health Organization.
Explanatory Notes:
Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9 remain
unchanged.
Articles 6 and 7 have been modified in
order to further clarify the organizational structure of the Club.
The extension of the mandates of the
officers to four years is due to the fact that the General Assembly meets every two years.
(Points 7.2, 7.3, 7.4)
Administrative Committee: to obtain the
statutory financial support and make required financial reports it is necessary to present
to the legislative Authorities yearly budget proposals and financial statements. (7.5)
The revision concerning the election of
the National Representatives is in order to ensure that the Member is an active
contributor to the Club. The Executive Committee is aware of this activity thanks to the
role it plays on the international level, so that it is possible to appoint Members who
have particularly distinguished themselves by their contribution. (7.8)
The National Representative loses office in the event of:
retirement from service. This is
because, unless institutionally recognized activities continue to be exercised, it is
thought that only persons in contact with their own national institutions, and therefore
supported by them, are able to offer the Club their active collaboration. It also
guarantees the arrival of new support;
absence from two consecutive meetings.
This is because the National Representatives must constantly guarantee their active
function (particularly as regards the initiatives and activities of the country they
represent), contacts with the Club, and presence at Meetings.
The World Health Organization has
divided the World into six Regional Offices. The MBC is now privileged to be its
scientific Collaborating Center worldwide on burns and fire disasters. To reflect this
distinctive recognition it is desirable that the Club has one person to represent the MBC
in each of the six WHO regions outside the Mediterranean membership. The Regional
Representatives will have no vote.
Transitional rules
On the occasion of the Athens Meeting, when the modifications are approved by the General
Assembly, all official positions will cease, and their renewal decided in the same
session, in order to permit application of the new rules.
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