February 2007 issue of the SICOT newsletter (No. 103)

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CommitteelifeThe SICOT Finance Committee ReportDr Thami Benzakour | Chairman of the Finance CommitteeThe present"SICOT FinanceCommittee" wasappointed in Istanbulin September2005. This committeeis composedof five statutory members: ProfMaurice Hinsenkamp as SICOT SecretaryGeneral, Prof Patricia Fucsas SICOT Treasurer, Prof Rocco P.Pitto as Editorial Secretary, ProfJean-Pierre Courpied as Editor ofthe International OrthopaedicsJournal and Prof Cody Bünger asPresident Elect.The three additionalmembers appointed among theSICOT National Representativesare Prof Bartolome T.Allende, ProfKeith D-K Luk and Prof GershonVolpin.The role of the Finance Committee,as indicated in the Constitutionand bylaws, is to review thefinancial implications and consequenceson the treasury of all activitiesand projects of the Societyand to assess the budgets ofSICOT, the SICOT Foundation, andthe SICOT Conferences andCongresses.The committee alsohas to review the use of funds, theinvestments and the transactions,as well as making recommendationsto the Board of Directorsand to the International Council.Procedures: the Finance Committeeis used to working closelywith the SICOT Head Office tokeep itself informed of major businessdevelopments and to improvethe quality of reporting and financialcontrol as recommended bythe International Council.The first Finance Committeemeeting was held in Buenos Airesbefore the 2006 Annual InternationalConference. Referring to ouragenda, we reviewed the SICOTannual statements for 2005 andthe SICOT budget for 2007.For the 2006 Treasury report,we had to look into the Society’sfinancial accounts and statementswhich KPMG had previously auditedfor 2005.Globally, the result for 2005 wasa profit of EUR 24,875; and the totalbalance sheet representedEUR 2,306,839. The operatingresults and the total revenues hadimproved. However, the expectedoperating surplus was not reached.Thus, SICOT has been unable tocontinue investing in initiatives toimprove membership.Meanwhile, the congress activitiescontributed to a reduction ofthe operating deficits. Thus,without any congress activity, theglobal operating deficit would havebeen EUR 134,210 higher. Thisamount represents the differencebetween the congress income andthe congress expenditure.Therefore,it seems obvious that"organizing meetings remains a viableactivity for SICOT; and withcautious and thrift management, itrepresents a reliable source ofmuch needed income”.The portfolio of EUR 1,268,298invested over the last four years isaimed at ensuring protection frommarket fluctuations. Our reservesare quite stable at EUR 1,840,489.The 2007 operating budget aimsat restoring the financial balanceand containing costs. More detailedinformation can be found in the reportsof the Treasurer and the SecretaryGeneral.In conclusion, the Finance Committee’stask is to analyse the incomestrategy, working methodsand staffing policies,as well as othertrends and issues to avoid any deficitand to ensure a healthy SICOTfinancial state.■The recommendationsof the Finance Committeemembers:1. Reduce operating expenses> Head Office> Revisit travel subsidies> Revisit presidential dinnersubsidies2. Increase income> Reduce risk and increase return byengaging other banks for our investment> Increase membership> Ensure a positive balance for allscientific meetings through strictbudgetary controlpage 8
Hospital under fire: the experienceof the Western Galilee Hospitalin IsraelProf Gershon Volpin | National Delegate of IsraelWorldwidenewsWestern GalileeHospital of Nahariyais located innorthern Israel,about 10 kilometresfrom theborder with Lebanon.Weserve 450,000 residents ofthe Western Galilee, 50% of whomare Jews and 50% are Muslims,Christians and Druze.Over the past 30 years, ourhospital has been threatened manytimes by rockets launched into northernIsrael.Four years ago, we constructeda new surgery building and underneathit an underground hospital.The underground hospital has a capacityof 450 beds and an undergroundnetwork of roads enablesambulances to access the hospitalfacilities. Most of the undergroundfacilities are also protectedagainst biological and chemicalwarfare with an elaborateair filtering system.When the war startedon 12 July 2006 and therockets began falling, all patientswere evacuated tothe underground hospitalwithin three hours. Duringthe month-long war, 800rockets fell on Nahariyaalone and several fell in thefields surrounding ourhospital.On 28 July,a rocket hit the fourthfloor of the surgery wing, causingsevere damage to the ophthalmologydepartment, leaving a gapinghole in the wall and destroying patients’rooms and medical equipment.Thedamage was estimatedat about USD 200,000. Fortunately,there were no injuries since all patientsand medical staff had beenevacuated to the underground facilities.Despite the constant sirens andattacks, we managed to continuewith routine medical and surgicalcare.About 2,400 patients wereadmitted to our hospital duringthat month. Some of the orthopaedicpatients were elderly peoplewho had fallen while running toshelters and had to be admitted tohospital with various types of injuries.Patients being treated in the underground hospital1,858 patients were treated bythe hospital staff during the monthlongwar.All patients were transferredfrom ambulances or helicoptersto special trauma emergencyrooms, according to theseverity of the injury. 947 of them(about 51%) had symptoms ofpsychological trauma and weretreated in a special emergencyroom, separated from the physicallyinjured patients.The remainingpatients had various degreesof injuries as follows: 839 patientshad mild injuries such as shrapnellacerated wounds of the body orclosed simple fractures of limbs; 42patients had moderate injuries suchas open comminuted fractures oflimbs, extensive soft tissue injuries,amputation of limbs; and 18 patientshad multiple trauma includingchest and abdominal injuries,vascular and head injuries.Some had associated compoundfractures of limbs.Twelve patients,two of themfrom the same family, diedof rocket injuries.For contact:volpinger@yahoo.com■page 9
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February 2007 issue of the SICOT newsletter (No. 103)

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