15th MBC Meeting, Athens, Greece
May, 2008

After ten years the Mediterranean Council for Burns and Fire Disasters returns to Athens to celebrate its Fifteenth Congress.

In 1991 our dear and unforgettable Professor John Ioannovich organized the Fifth Meeting of the Mediterranean Burns Club with great success and in 1998 he organized the Fourth International Conference on Burns and Fire Disasters with the same success.

Today, here to welcome us, is his pupil Demostinis Tsoutsos, who was the Secretary at the meeting of 1991, Treasurer at the Conference of 1998, and who now, as President, receives our gratitude and affection for this new demonstration of hospitality.

It gives me great pleasure to declare the opening of the proceedings of this General Meeting of the MBC and my warmest greetings go to all present.

This Report will be restricted to an overall account of our activity since 2006, the year of the Fourteenth Meeting in Casablanca, and I leave to our extremely active General Secretary the task of going into the details.

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

In these last two years the MBC has gone on developing its scientific activity, following the guidelines set by the World Health Organization when it granted the MBC the status of “WHO Collaborating Centre for the Prevention and Treatment of Burns and Fire Disasters”.

In particular, to pursue the terms of reference of its action programme, as a WHO Collaborating Centre, the MBC proceeded:

• to prepare, test and implement means and methodologies of health education for the prevention of burns and reduction of fire disasters: Production and printing of new pamphlets for prevention campaigns in burns of children; Instructional courses on prevention and emergency care in burn patients;
• to train burns specialists and collaborate with fire-fighting authorities for the improvement of burns therapy and the humanitarian response in fire disasters: Scholarships; Instructional courses, Collaboration with the International Association for Humanitarian Medicine (IAHM); BURNET Programme; Two scholarships provided annually by MBC are earmarked as WHO/MBC scholarships;
• to collaborate with the industrial sector for the prevention and mitigation of industrial fires, explosions, toxic accidents, atomic incidents and environmental degradation, for the protection of health and the prevention of industrial disasters: Realization of an Italian edition of the “Multilingual Dictionary of Disaster Medicine and International Relief and Humanitarian Medicine”;
• to organize and implement research in essential surgery and appropriate technology for newly independent states, poorly industrialized areas and developing countries: Organization, in collaboration with IAHM, of international symposia and meetings; Analysis and draft of a programme of MBC’s activities in low- and middle-income countries;
• to prepare, in collaboration with the European Union and the Council of Europe, computerized teaching hypertext material and telemedical technology for disaster learning and for distant management in disasters: BURNET Project of EUMEDIS Programme; Collaboration with “Centre Européen pour la Médecine des Catastrophes” (CEMEC);
• to implement other terms and programmes of WHO: Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters carries “The WHO Page”, a regular feature that provides international health information to readers who would not otherwise have access;
• to act as Faculty and “specialized arm” to WHO-related institutions and other Collaborating Centres in allied fields and educational endeavours: Scientific collaboration with CEMEC;
• to prepare guidelines, manuals and training tools for field use, for technical self-improvement, for rehabilitation of the severely burned and for teaching at all levels: Dissemination of the results of BURNET to make the programme operative in all Burn Centres.
• to prepare, in collaboration with affiliates and other institutions, computerized teaching hypertext material and telemedical technology for distance learning and for distance management of disasters: Collaboration with Global Initiative for Emergency and Essential Surgical Care (GIEESC); Collaboration with CEMEC.

UNITED NATIONS

The participation of the MBC, officially accredited as being “in Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council” for international activities, effectively and fruitfully implemented the provision of this consultative relationship.

The MBC is the only professional organization concerned with burns and fire disasters in the world with such UN accreditation and its activity is much appreciated. The MBC is also an institutional member of ACUNS – the Academic Council on the United Nations System.

EUROPEAN UNION

The BURNET project, founded by the European Union, was completed in June 2006.

Today: 17 Burns Centres in the Euro-Mediterranean area are provided with advanced technology; 17 Burns Centres are concretely connected in a close and equal relationship of analysis and discussion on the pathological problem of burns; 17 Burn Centres are connected with their region’s peripheral hospitals and Emergency wards; there are many free online courses on first aid in burns accidents, the management of burn patients, and prevention. The work of realizing the BURNET witnessed among the Partners the gradual development of a new “Therapeutic Pool” mentality.

The Data Collection Tool will constitute the most extensive clinical file Data Base of burn victims, providing a collection of epidemiological and statistical findings and research. This may become a premise for the creation of a common clinical folder.

The Web Portal www.burnet.org constitutes a cheap, accessible, and concrete instrument for participating in Forums and Discussion Groups, using the Scientific Library and showing the updated reference portal on meetings, congresses and scientific innovation.

I firmly believe that the fulfilment of this Project has placed the MBC in a prestigious position in the sector of this specialization. At this point in time no other international professional societies appear to possess a similar instrument of connection and coordination of their institutional activities.

To disseminate the results and to make the programme operative in all Burn Centres, a Special Committee headed by General Secretary Bishara Atiyeh has been established.

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR HUMANITARIAN MEDICINE – BROCK CHISHOLM (IAHM)

The modern vision of Humanitarian Medicine intended not as an act of pity towards people who are suffering but as the “duty to help those who have the right to ask” binds the collaboration between MBC and IAHM very closely together. Several members serve jointly on both organizations.

These ties have been strengthened by the organization of various meetings with close collaboration between the two societies and by the active participation of the MBC in congresses organized by the IAHM, and vice versa.

The Journal of Humanitarian Medicine has the Honorary President and the President of the MBC as its editors and is published as a supplement to Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters.

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SURGICAL COLLEGES

The MBC has been a specialty member of this prestigious federation since 1992. Each year the MBC provides one IFSC/MBC scholarship to a deserving young surgeon. The MBC has twice hosted the IFSC Executive at its headquarters in Palermo. The Honorary President of the MBC is Secretary General of the IFSC, the President of MBC is Vice President.

WHITAKER FOUNDATION: The Whitaker Foundation, a completely separate organization/foundation, has close ties with the MBC. It celebrated its twenty-fourth anniversary in 2007 and the MBC, as always, took part in the prize-giving of the G. Whitaker International Burns Prize. The Honorary President of the MBC is a Component of the Scientific Committee and the President is the Scientific Secretary. In 2007 the Prize was awarded to Prof. Naoki Aikawa (Japan), past President of ISBI.

PAN-ARAB SOCIETY OF PLASTIC SURGERY, RECONSTRUCTIVE AND BURN SURGEONS

The collaboration between MBC and PABPS continues to be active. Many Members of the MBC are members of PABPS and they are often invited to participate in seminars, meetings and courses they have respectively organized.

CEMEC - Centre Européen pour la Médecine des Catastrophes, based in the Republic of San Marino. The MBC participated in the organization of training courses on burns disaster management.

The Honorary President and the President of the MBC are on the CEMEC Scientific Committee.

DEPARTMENT OF ITALIAN CIVIL PROTECTION. The MBC has maintained a relationship of collaboration with this Department and with the National Group for Defence from Chemical, Industrial, and Ecological Risks of the Italian National Research Council

OTHER INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

• In October 2006 the MBC was officially invited on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the F. Benaim Foundation (Buenos-Aires, Argentina);
• In October 2006 the MBC was invited to the Second International Course of the Romanian Association of Plastic Surgery and Burns Society (Bucharest, Romania);
• In November 2006 the MBC was invited to the Eighth Asia Pacific Conference on Disaster Medicine and participated in the persons of the Honorary President and the President (Tokyo, Japan);
• In January 2007 the President and the General Secretary were invited to the Second Pan African Burn Society (PABS) (Assiut, Egypt);
• In January 2007 the MBC was present at the “EMMIT 2007 - Conference on EURO-Mediterranean Medical Informatics and Telemedicine”. The BURNET Programme was presented (Bucharest, Romania);
• In June 2007 the MBC was invited to the “National Conference on the Surgical Therapy of Burns” (Milan, Italy). The BURNET Programme was presented;
• In July 2007 the BURNET Programme was presented at “AITIM eGeH 2007” (Desio, Milan, Italy);
• In September 2007 the MBC was present at the European Club of Paediatric Burns Workshop 2007 ECPB7 (Leibnitz, Austria); the BURNET Programme was presented;
• In October 2007 the President of the MBC was invited to the National Conference of the Romanian Association for Plastic Surgery (Sinaia, Romania);
• In November 2007, the MBC organized an Instructional Course in collaboration with the National Academy of Burns of India (Ahmedabad, India). The Course in India is the first to be organized far outside the Mediterranean area.

PUBLICATIONS

Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters, the MBC’s official organ, is now in its twenty-first year of publication, appearing regularly as a quarterly with an average run of over 3200 copies per issue. Annals includes “The WHO and UN pages”, an instrument of dissemination of important information regarding these two international organisms, as well as the Journal of Humanitarian Medicine, the only journal in the sector and now in its eighth year of publication.

March 2008 saw the publication of vol. XXI, no. 1 of Annals.

As the Editorial Board has a large number of articles to publish, some years ago it set up a specific session called “Medit Line” in the site www.medbc.com, presenting the articles in their entirety, pending publication in Annals.

For years now, the site www.medbc.com/annals has made it possible to read, free of charge, all articles published in Annals.

The publication free of charge of Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters has provided all Members of the MBC with an instrument with which they have been able to make their voice heard and thus enter the field of international science.

The complete collection of Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters is present in the Alexandrine Library in Alexandria (Egypt) and is continually updated.

Annals is today present in the United States National Library of Medicine.

FUTURE ACTIVITIES
BURNS AND FIRE DISASTERS ACADEMY (BFDA): The idea of creating BFDA was presented by the President to the Executive Committee in March 2007. The Academy would be the scientific operative instrument of the Mediterranean Council for Burns and Fire Disasters. The aim of the Academy is to permit a wider development of the scientific and cultural activities laid down in Article 3 of the MBC’s Statute and to realize new activities of international cooperation.

In particular, its activity is intended to realize projects of research and study on:

• Realization of books, edited by MBC, using papers published in Annals;
• Clinical and therapeutic aspects of the burn disease;
• Various aspects of burn accidents;
• Management of burn disasters;
• Organization of burn care systems and programmes in countries in the Mediterranean area and in the developing countries, with particular reference to the dissemination and utilization of the BURNET Programme;
• Analysis, study, and production of material for the prevention campaign
• Organization of national and international Master’s courses for the training of health operators and others in the sector of burns;
• Organization of training courses for general practitioners, nurses, fire brigades, volunteers, health workers, etc. for immediate action in fire disasters and mass burns;
• Organization of courses of information and education on burns prevention in schools, for the general public in the Mediterranean countries and in the developing countries;
• Any other scientific, training, educational, or popularizing activity in the emerging and the developing countries, intended to promote a campaign of international cooperation in the defence of human rights in the context of burns prevention and the treatment and functional and psychological recovery of burn patients.

MBC’S ACTION IN LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES

The success of the Refresher Courses held in Romania and India, in collaboration with the local Associations and medical facilities, and the requests made by non-Mediterranean countries such as Serbia, Nigeria, Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo have convinced us that the MBC can open up a new frontier of collaboration outside the confines of the Mediterranean. The action the MBC could develop must necessarily start from the same analyses that were made in 1983, when the MBC first saw the day. In those days the input was mainly cultural and scientific, and an attempt was made to ascertain and reduce the gaps in the field of burns prevention and treatment in the Mediterranean countries. Today the stimulus would mainly be a feeling of solidarity aimed at reducing not only scientific and cultural gaps but also social gaps – a responsible desire to collaborate for the benefit of people who in the course of time have not yet succeeded in overcoming the difficulties, including those of organization and of care and assistance, in the field of burns.

Coming now to the main point of my lecture, I firmly believe that the MBC is without any doubt able to consider the low- and middle-income countries in order to make the same analyses as were made in 1983 for the Mediterranean countries. In those days the input was mainly cultural and scientific, and an attempt was made to ascertain and reduce the gaps in the field of burns prevention and treatment in the Mediterranean countries.

FINANCES

Thanks to the particular wisdom of the Parliament of the Sicilian Region, which appreciates programmes of close collaboration on the cultural, scientific, and cooperation level between countries in the Mediterranean area, united by ancient bonds of friendship and civilization, the MBC has also enjoyed some financial support decreed by Act of Parliament. The MBC, every year, makes available to young doctors and nurses from Member countries ten scholarships to enable them to attend Centres of Plastic Surgery and Burns Therapy with the intention not only of helping them to further their technical and scientific training but also to strengthen the ties of friendship between single countries and peoples, which is a fundamental instrument of reciprocal understanding and respect.

The same funds have been used to develop the campaign to arouse public awareness to burns prevention and to organize the numerous training seminars.

The work developed by the MBC in these last years has been considerable and the prestige acquired by our Association has notably risen, as confirmed by the various recognitions obtained: WHO Collaborating Centre, NGO in consultative status with ECOSOC of the United Nations, and last but not least the assignment of the BURNET Project by the European Community.

I firmly believe that with everyone’s participation the MBC will be able to attain yet more achievements. And for that, I thank you in advance.

Respectfully submitted.

Athens, 16 May 2008

Michele Masellis
President, MBC

15th MBC Meeting, Athens, Greece
May, 2008

Since the last meeting in Casablanca, Morocco, May 19-20, 2006, progress in all areas of interest related to prevention and public education, disaster and emergency, cultural exchange, promotion, study and research, promotion of cooperation, and dissemination of MBC activities has continued to be pursued. New projects have been implemented as well.

1) Cooperation with International Association for Humanitarian Medicine – Brock Chisholm – IAHM and with WHO

Cooperation with IAHM is a major priority for MBC, particularly since MBC has been appointed as a WHO Collaborating Center. Publication of Journal of Humanitarian Medicine has continued as an integral part of Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters. Efforts for establishment of a conjoined MBC-IAHM trust fund for humanitarian field action that has been decided earlier are continuing despite some obstacles. Dr W. Gunn is Member of the Expert Advisory Committee on Clinical Surgical Procedures at the World Health Organization. In this capacity he was invited to participate and advise the WHO meeting on Global Initiative for Emergency and Essential Surgical Care (GIEESC) in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, Africa, 24-25 September, 2007. He nominated Dr B. Atiyeh, who successfully attended and represented him at the personal, IAHM and MBC levels. Both organizations have already made big progress in certain aspects pertinent to the GIEESC. IAHM has already established the Virtual World Open Hospital, a network of specialized centers in industrialized countries to assist in the treatment of severe conditions coming from low and middle income countries. For its part, MBC has established with the assistance of Eumedis initiative of the European Commission the Burnet network, which is an important technological tool for the dissemination of knowledge and teaching related to burn prevention and treatment. It was made clear during the meeting that both IAHM and MBC are strongly committed to share their experience within the GIEESC framework.

2) Public education and prevention

A major effort has been exerted in this domain. Under the impact of BURNET and its team, primarily Dr Alessandro Masellis and Dr Maddalena Ferrara, a well-designed and illustrated album for the prevention campaign against burns in children has been produced in English, French, Italian, and Arabic. Additional burn prevention activities have been conducted within the BURNET program in Lebanon, Tunisia, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, and Cyprus.

3) Cultural promotion, study, and research

a) MBC Itinerary Instructional Course

Three MBC Itinerary Courses have been organized during this period.

An MBC Instructional Course was held on February 20-21, 2007 in Tunis in association with IAHM and with the support of the Tunisian Society of Plastic Surgery. It was attended by almost 140 participants from Tunisia, South Africa, Kenya, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Sudan, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Saoudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, and Iraq. The course was held under the patronage of the Minister of Public Health represented in the opening ceremony by the Director General of the ministry Dr Noureddine Bouzzouia. The faculty of this course included Dr D. Mackie, General Secretary of ISBI, which provided an opportunity to establish mutual understanding and new ties between MBC and ISBI that undoubtedly will be strengthened in the future, providing proper grounds for the two organizations interested in Burns treatment and prevention to join forces and set new standards for international interorganizational cooperation.

Another MBC Instructional Course was organized in collaboration and accreditation by the National Academy of Burns in India on November 24-25, 2007, in Ahmedabad, India. The first day was dedicated to the visit of Rajan Sarabhai Patel Burns Center and the Burn Center at the Civil Hospital as well as to inaugurate the new Burn Center at Sterling hospital. The main scientific program took place on the second day and was attended by more than 100 parti-cipants. The course in India was the first to be organized far outside the Mediterranean area, opening a new era in MBC activities dedicated to spread the acquired MBC expertise in treatment and prevention of burn injuries to developing countries. Efforts to organize similar courses in Africa, Viet Nam, and Cambodia will be made.

Upon special invitation, an MBC course was organized in Bucharest, Romania, April 18-19, 2008, in collaboration with the Romanian Association of Plastic Surgeons.

A local Burn course endorsed by MBC was organized in Beirut on May 10, 2008. All MBC National representatives will be encourage to hold such teaching activities in their respective countries.

Another course will take place in Malta on October 24-25, 2008. Plans for future courses in Serbia and Dubai are being contemplated

b) Burns and Fire Disasters Academy BFDA

Efforts are continuing for the establishment of the Burns and Fire Disasters Academy BFDA, the creation of which was during the Executive Committee meeting on March 24, 2007. The Academy will be an important tool to disseminate the achievements of the Burnet Project that was concluded and to promote the teaching activities of MBC.

4) Cultural exchange and cooperation

a) Scholarships

Cultural exchange between member countries has been continued. The Council’s Scholarships were again awarded in 2007 to physicians and nurses to enable them to attend Burn Centers and Plastic Surgery Departments in the various countries of the Mediterranean area for a period of one month. Scholarships were awarded to the following physicians and nurses:

SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED YEAR 2007

Aquilina Ducan, MD from Malta, training in Palermo

Isac Cristina, MD from Bucarest, training in Lyon

Sayed Mahmoud, MD from Assiut, Egypt, training in Palermo

Hima Vjollca, Nurse from Tirana, training in Palermo

Eid Marie, Nurse from Beirut, training in Lyon

b) The Second International Congress of the Romanian Association of Plastic Surgeons, October 25-28, 2006, Sinaia, Romania

Cultural exchange has continued to be extended beyond the Member countries. Mediterranean Council for Burns and Fire Disasters – MBC – was invited to the Second International Congress of the Romanian Association of Plastic Surgeons and to participate in the Burns scientific sessions which extended over one and a half days. MBC was represented by its General Secretary.

c) The National Conference of the Romanian Association of Plastic Surgeons, October 25-27, 2007, Sinaia, Romania

MBC was also invited to the National Conference of the Romanian Association of Plastic Surgeons, underscoring the close relationships that have been established between MBC and our Romanian colleagues. MBC was represented by its President, Dr M. Masellis, and its Scientific Coordinator, Dr. M. Costagliola.

d) National Burns Week NBW, October 28-November 4, 2007, Dubai, UAE

The Mediterranean Council for Burns and Fire Disasters – MBC was invited to participate in the National Burns Week – NBW organized by the Emirates Medical Association – Plastic Surgery Society in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Interior from October 28 till November 4, 2007 in Dubai. This event was the first of its kind in the United Arab Emirates and the region. It was granted the high patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and Industry, President of Dubai Health Authority. The NBW was planned to provide comprehensive information and education targeting the many aspects of burn care to both health care professionals and community members alike. Activities of this week were designed to provide an opportunity for burn, fire and life safety educators, the public, industries and major companies, to unite in sharing common burn awareness and spread a prevention message to the community.

In addition to scientific sessions held on the first three days, a National Campaign was organized to spread information and distribute educational materials (booklets, flyers, posters) related to burn awareness to students, parents, social associations, medical centers, companies, etc… A press conference was held and closing recommendations were announced. Several press and television interviews were conducted with guest speakers and participants, further spreading the overall impact of this burn education and prevention campaign. MBC was represented by B. Atiyeh, MD, MBC General Secretary, and was actively involved in the high-level scientific sessions reaffirming its strong support to this important educational and prevention campaign. It was agreed that the participation of MBC in next year’s NBW will be more substantial and probably a formal Burn Instructional Course might be integrated within the activities of this week. All the MBC structures, website, journal, and Burnet, will be dedicated to support this event and announce it to the professional Burn Health Care Community at large.

e) Third Congress of the World Union of Wound Healing Societies WUWHS, June 4-8, 2008, Toronto, Canada

MBC has been invited to be a Supporting Society of the Third WUWHS in Toronto, Canada. This is a major promotional activity for MBC as the meeting is expected to attract over 6,000 health care providers from around the world, presenting an excellent opportunity to identify academic and corporate partnerships for research and improved wound care management. MBC will be listed in all World Union Meeting promotional material, including the Website, as a Supporting Association and will have a complimentary stand/display (up to 100 sq ft) at the World Union Meeting in the Exhibit Hall.

f) EBA meeting, September 2009, Lausanne, Switzerland

Drs S.W.A. Gunn, M. Masellis and B. Atiyeh have been invited by the organizers of the EBA meeting in Lausanne, 2009, to contribute actively to the scientific program as guest speakers.

5) BURNET

BURNET has been a major MBC project for the last few years and has demanded a lot of efforts and recourses. The project was completed in June 2006. Plans to disseminate the results of this project are being undertaken. With Dr Gunn as the Project Leader, a special committee headed by Dr Atiyeh and actively steered by Dr Masellis has been formed and should include representation from all partners. Already responding are Dr George Efstathiou (Cyprus), Dr Hamed Kadry (Egypt), Dr Francesco Conte (Palermo), Dr Renato Brancato (Palermo), Prof. Maurizio Stella (Turin), Dr Antoine Dayoub (Syria), and Dr Abulsalam Abul Failat (Jordan). Complete representation in this committee will be pursued. Special changes in the BURNET web site were made, including easier registration and log in as well as the creation of a new link for International Data Collection designed to gather clinical information from non-partners.

6) Dissemination of MBC’s activities

Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters, the official organ of MBC, remains the main tool to disseminate MBC activities and publish increasingly valuable work in the field of burn prevention and treatment. The BURNET web site at present is strengthening this dissemination by making information and education material available to a wider audience. Most presentations of the Beirut Symposium and the Amman Course have been posted in the PDF format on the Burnet Web site / interactive section / documents repository.

7) Editing of Instructional CDs

PDF format of presentations given in Amman on March 30, 2006, were included in a special CD produced with full financial support of Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries, and distributed to medical and paramedical personnel interested in burn prevention and treatment in Jordan.

The CD Rom produced by MBC some years ago will be updated. A special faculty for that regard will be formed.

8) Publications

Effect Of Silver On Burn Wound Infection Control And Healing: Review Of The Literature. Bishara S. Atiyeh, Michel Costagliola, Shady N. Hayek, Saad A. Dibo. BURNS 2007 Mar; 33(2): 139-48. 2006 Nov 28; [Epub ahead of print]

Cultured Epithelial Autograft (CEA): Three Decades Later. B. Atiyeh, M. Costagliola. BURNS 2007 Mar 30; [Epub ahead of print], 33: 404-413, 2007

Pharmacological Modulation Of Wound Healing In Experimental Burns. Abdo Jurjus, Bishara S. Atiyeh, Inaya A., Hajj Hussein, Rosalyne A. Jurjus, Shady N. Hayek, Marlene Abou Jaoude, Alice Gerges, Rania Tomeh. BURNS 2007 Nov; 33(7): 892-907. Epub 2007 May 22

Non-Surgical Management Of Hypertrophic Scars (Hss): Evidence-Based Therapies, Standard Practices And Emerging Modalities. Bishara S. Atiyeh. Aesthetic Plast. Surg. 2007 Sept-Oct; 31(5): 468-92. Epub 2007 Jun 18

The Safety And Efficacy Of Dressings With Silver – Addressing Clinical Concerns. Letter-to-the-editor. Atiyeh B.S., Hayek S.N. Int. Wound J. 2007 Sep; 4(3): 283-4

Conventional Warfare, Armed Conflicts And Burn Injuries. Bishara S. Atiyeh, S. William Gunn, Shady N. Hayek. Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters (ISSN 1592-9566) 20: 203-215, 2007

Benefit-Cost Analysis Of Moist Exposed Burn Ointment. Bishara S. Atiyeh, Ruwayda Dham, Mohammad Kadry, Abdel Fattah Abdallah, Mahmoud Al-Oteify, Osman Fathi, Ahmad Samir. Slides Online Digital Library www.slidesonline.org, April 2008

Nutritional And Pharmacological Modulation Of The Metabolic Response Of Severely Burned Patients: Review Of The Literature. B.S. Atiyeh, S.W.A. Gunn, S.A. Dibo. Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters (Part 1 and Part 2 in press)

Metabolic Implications Of Severe Burn Injuries And Their Management: A Systematic Review Of The Literature. B.S. Atiyeh, S.W.A. Gunn, S. Dibo. World J. Surg (in press)

9) Future MBC activities

Completion of the BURNET project remains a major goal. Future Itinerary MBC courses are being contemplated. Special effort to extend MBC activities beyond the Member countries is being exerted.

Of special concern is the establishment of a GULF MEDITERRANEAN HUMANITARIAN FUND. This fund will invariably open new horizons to MBC field action and strengthen its association with IAHM. Serious obstacles due to the security and political situation in the area are still hampering the realization of this project

MBC has just started a path to establish durable partnership and collaboration with the University of Toronto in Canada and EBA, ISBI, and IPRAS. Efforts are being made also to establish a sustainable and durable relationship between MBC and pharmaceutical companies to assure their continual support to MBC activities.

Future Instructional Courses similar to the one held in Amman will be organized. Potential hosting countries and pharmaceutical companies will be contacted for support. Some courses may even be integrated within the wider spectrum of Humanitarian Medicine in collaboration with IAHM. A course will be organized in Serbia in 2009.

Athens, May 16, 2008

Bishara Atiyeh, MD
General Secretary, MBC

THE Mediterranean council for Burns
and fire disasters
scholarships for physicians,
nurses, and relevant
health personnel
2009

The Mediterranean Council for Burns and Fire Disasters (MBC) awards ten annual Scholarships for specialization in the prevention, therapy, care and functional recovery in the field of burn pathology. The scholarships are divided between physicians, nurses, and relevant health personnel. The purpose of the awards, in accordance with the terms of the statutes of the MBC, is to promote the interchange of young physicians, nurses, and relevant health personnel from specialized centres in the various countries in the Mediterranean area with the aim of achieving a high standard of care and of stimulating an ever greater spirit of cooperation.

The value of each Scholarship is fixed at the sum of € 2,065. This amount is intended to cover the cost of the return journey and living expenses.

The Scholar has the obligation to attend abroad, for not less than one month, a qualified Centre for the treatment of Burns and their sequelae, situated in one of the countries comprising the Mediterranean Burns Council.

All physicians, nurses, and relevant health personnel from countries belonging to the Mediterranean Burns Council are eligible to compete for the Scholarships.

Applications, written in English or French, must arrive by the deadline of 28th February of each year (no account can be taken of any postal delays), addressed to: Segreteria, Mediterranean Council for Burns and Fire Disasters “Borsa di Studio”, c/o Divisione di Chirurgia Plastica e Terapia delle Ustioni, Ospedale Civico, via C. Lazzaro, 90125 Palermo, Italy.

The candidate must specify in the application which Scholarship he or she is applying for (Physicians, Nurses, Health Personnel) and include the following:

• full name, date and place of birth, home address, and telephone number;
• the country and the Centre which the applicant intends to visit;
• a brief programme describing the aims which the candidate intends to pursue with the support of the Scholarship;
• a statement by the candidate of competence in a language (English or French) necessary for carrying out the activity described in the programme;
• the candidate’s signature legally authenticated.

All candidates must enclose with the application:

1. curriculum vitae, indicating academic record, professional activity, attendance at seminars etc.;
2. a declaration of acceptance and training hospitality on the part of the Host Centre which the candidate intends to visit;
3. recent letters of introduction (in the original or in authenticated copies) from Chiefs of Institutes, Divisions or Services with connected Burns Centre, who are members of the Council, attesting to periods of training confirming the candidate’s specific preparation in the field of burn pathology;
4. list of qualifications;
5. for physicians, additionally;
   • degree diploma (with marks), in authenticated copy
   • scientific papers, published since graduation
   • certificate of introduction or of guarantee issued by the Chief of the Institute, Division or Service where the candidate is currently working.
    

The Adjudicating Committee is composed of:

• The President of the Mediterranean Council
• The Secretary General of the Mediterranean Council
• A National Representative drawn by lot in the course of the Annual Assembly from among the representatives of the various countries which have not already received scholarships in previous years. This position is not renewable until, in the course of time, the individual countries have achieved equal representation.

The Scholarships will be awarded not later than 30th June each year.

The winners will be informed that within 30 days they must communicate to the Secretariat of the MBC their acceptance, the address of the bank where they wish to have the scholarship money deposited, the period they have chosen to take up the scholarship, and a declaration by the candidate that he or she does not have a criminal record.

The Scholarship must be taken up by 30th May of the year following the award, at the latest.

The Mediterranean Burns Council will credit in advance two-thirds of the amount by bank transfer, and the remainder on termination of the period chosen, after a declaration of satisfactory attendance issued by the Chief of the Centre where the programme was carried out.

The Scholarship winner must inform the Secretariat of the Mediterranean Council “Borsa di Studio” of the beginning of the period of attendance and of any interruptions.

The Mediterranean Burns Council undertakes to publish the Scholarship winners’ name, together with relative motivations, in the “Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters”, in which the Club may also publish papers resulting from this study.

Any person interested may request a copy of the official announcement of the Scholarships and other information from the Secretariat of the Mediterranean Burns Council “Borsa di Studio”.

The President
Michele MASELLIS M.D.

Le Conseil MÉditerranÉen
des BrÛlures et Desastres d’incendie
bourses d’etudes pour medecins,
infirmiers et membres du corps
medical en rapport
2009

Le Conseil Méditerranéen des Brûlures et de Désastres d’Incendie (MBC) offre dix bourses d’études de spécialisation chaque année pour la prévention, la thérapie, les soins et le recouvrement fonctionnel en matière de pathologie des brûlures.

Les bourses sont réparties entre médecins, infirmiers et membres du corps médical de compétence. Elles ont pour but, selon les termes des statuts du MBC, de promouvoir l’échange de jeunes médecins, infirmiers et personnel du corps médical de compétence des centres spécialisés entre les différents pays du bassin méditerranéen dans le but d’atteindre un haut niveau en matière de soins médicaux et pour favoriser l’esprit de coopération.

Le montant de chaque bourse s’élève a € 2.065. Cette somme permettra de payer le billet de voyage aller-retour et les frais de séjour.

Le boursier devra obligatoirement fréquenter à l’étranger, pendant pas moins d’un mois, un centre spécialisé dans le traitement des brûlures et de leurs séquelles, situé dans l’un des pays appartenant au Conseil Méditerranéen des Brûlures.

Tous les médicins, les infirmiers et le personnel du corps médical de compétence des pays faisant partie du Conseil peuvent poser leur candidature.

Les demandes, écrites en anglais ou en français, doivent parvenir avant le 28 février de chaque année (on ne tiendra pas compte des retards de la poste) et seront adressées à: Conseil Méditerranéen des Brûlures et de Désastres d’Incendie “Borsa di Studio”, c/o Divisione di Chirurgia Plastica e Terapia delle Ustioni, Ospedale Civico, via C. Lazzaro, 90125 Palermo, Italy.

Le candidat devra spécifier dans sa demande quelle bourse il-elle sollicite (médecins, infirmiers, personnel sanitaire) et indique ce qui suit:

• a) nom et prénom, date et lieu de naissance, domicile et numéro de téléphone;
• b) le pays et le centre où le candidat désire se rendre;
• c) un bref exposé des projets que le candidate entend réaliser grâce à cette bourse;
• d) déclaration par le candidat de connaître bien la langue (anglais ou français) nécessaire pour la réalisation des activités énoncées dans l’exposé;
• e) la signature du candidat dûment légalisée.