VOL. 67, NO. 3 - AAFI-AFICS, Geneva - UNOG

4.28 Mr John Fraser remarked that long-term care appeared to apply also to non-medical costs. The
provision of insulin or anti-coagulants also constituted long-term care. He noted that the WHO medical
insurance scheme did not reimburse expenses to purchase electronic equipment to check blood insulin
levels costing CHF 1,500.
4.29 A participant indicated that communication with the UNSMIS (UNOG health insurance scheme)
office was very difficult. Telephone calls went unanswered, while sometimes there was urgent need to
communicate. It was not the staff’s fault but there was a need to manage the problem from an organizational
point of view. Another participant stated that the service provided by the UNSMIS staff was excellent, but not
at the management level, including the Secretary. The Chairman of the AAFI-AFICS Committee undertook
to convey these observations to the attention of UNSMIS.
Social Welfare
4.30 Introducing the relevant section of the Report and on behalf of the Committee, Mr Anders Tholle
expressed special thanks to Mrs Nana Leigh, the AAFI-AFICS Social Welfare Officer. He emphasized that
she continued to provide an unequalled service to all former international civil servants (not only to AAFI-
AFICS members) who, for whatever reason, faced personal difficulties and called upon her. Her work was of
the highest order and the Committee were grateful to her for her commitment and assistance.
Assistance to Members and the AAFI-AFICS Secretariat
4.31 Mrs Elisabeth Belchamber, Vice-Chairman (Management) of the AAFI-AFICS Committee made a
plea that members inform the AAFI-AFICS office of their new addresses when they moved (or changed e-
mail address), and that, when leaving messages on the answering machine, they speak slowly and clearly
and indicate their telephone numbers.
Seminars
4.32 The Chairman of the AAFI-AFICS Committee indicated that Mr Anders Tholle was too modest to say
that he deserved most of the credit for AAFI-AFICS’ contribution to the organization of the pre-retirement
seminars at UNOG, with the assistance of other members of the Committee. These seminars provided an
unique occasion to increase the AAFI-AFICS membership, which was important vis-à-vis the Pension Board.
He also urged the members of AAFI-AFICS to encourage former colleagues to join the Association.
Publications
Social Activities
Acknowledgements
4.33 The Assembly took note of the information contained in the Annual Report.
Adoption of the Report
4.34 The General Assembly adopted the Report of the Committee unanimously.
5. Accounts for 2007 and related matters
5.1 The statements of accounts were presented by the Treasurer, Mr. Venkataraman Narasimhan, who
expressed gratitude to the auditors -Messrs Anthony Ingram and Robert Yazgi- for their collaboration, and to
Mr André Weber who had prepared the French version of these documents.
5.2 Mr Vittorio Muccioli sought some explanations as to certain figures, and recalled that he had
suggested two years ago that the AAFI-AFICS Committee present a budget to the General Assembly. Mr
Hanus, noting that the General Assembly did not have the power to approve a budget, proposed that the
Statutes of the Association be revised to that effect.
5.3 Noting that the approval of an annual budget had become common practice among associations of
retirees, the Chairman of the AAFI-AFICS committee regretted that the request for a budget for the
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