APRIL 2011 QNT83 Q u a r t e r l y from the Association of Former WHO Staff Tel :+4122 791 3103 and 31 92 Office 4141, WHO, CH- 1211 Geneva, Switzerland E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://who.int/formerstaff/en/ Informed opinion and active co-operation on the part of the public are of the utmost impor tance in the improvement of the health of the people (WHO, Basic Documents, 47th Edition, 2009) INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF FORESTS●2011 Forests for people Association des Anciens de l’OMS Page 1 APRIL 2011 QNT83 The year 2011 has been declared by the UN as the International Year of Forests. The goal is to raise awareness of the importance of forests for life. Logo of the International Year of forests on UNO ← building in New York The forest, a precious and diversified environment. In view of the importance of deforestation in the world, the UN has declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests. On this occasion, awareness- raising campaigns will be organized around this theme for the general public. Forests provide us with wood, work, areas of nature, protection against natu- ral dangers, drinking water and places for relaxation. The forest is linked to CO2 and attenuates global warming. In addition, forests provide shelter for many animal and plant species, some of which are rare. 300 million people live in forests. ( www.un.org/forests/ ) Association des Anciens de l’OMS Page 2 APRIL 2011 QNT83 CONTENTS EDITORIAL Pages Following the elections, responsibilities have been Photos Forests 2 distributed within the new Executive Committee Editorial opposite Message from President; (see page 4). Functions and responsibilities 4 The Joint Committee of the Headquarters and Our health 5, 6 Regional Surveillance Committees which met in Health Insurance 7 2008, set up a Working Group to review a re- News from WHO 8, 9 form of the Staff Health Insurance (governance, Point of view 10 financing and long-term care). A story from WWII 11 Our Committee, which is represented on this Recent events 12, 13 Working Group, has given its position on the pro- In memoriam 14, 15 Book review 16, 17 posals of the SHI Secretariat (see page 7). On the lighter side ---------------- Readers’ Corner, 18, 19, 20, 21 New members 22 Serious events – an earthquake followed by a Joining AFSM tsunami then a nuclear catastrophe, whose conse- ----------- quences for the future remain unknown – have occurred in Japan: we cannot remain indifferent Editorial Team to this tragedy. Editing & layout: David Cohen Editorial Board : We are sure that our readers will want to par- Yves Beigbeder, Sue Block Tyrrell, ticipate personally in the international aid efforts Maria Dweggah, Samy Kossovsky, to support Japan at this difficult time. Jean-Paul Menu, Dev Ray, Michel Thuriaux, Rosemary Villars. Our attention is also focused on the historic Translation, articles: all the changes occurring in North Africa and the Middle editorial board. -------------------------------- East. We assure our former colleagues, their We pay special tribute families and the people in these countries of our to the Printing, Distribution, solidarity and we extend our heartfelt wishes for and Mailing Services . DC -------------------------------- peace, justice and prosperity. The opinions expressed in this magazine are Important contacts: those of the authors AFSM: see on page 1 and not necessarily Health Insurance (SHI): + 41 (0)22 791 18 18; in ca se of those of the absence, please leave a message; someone will call back. Or email to: [email protected] Editorial Board . Pensions: +41 (0) 22 928 88 00 ; -------------------- email : [email protected] for Geneva Send your contributions to: or [email protected] for New York David Cohen: AFSM office manned on Tuesday and Wednesday [email protected] from 9.30 to 12.30. Otherwise: please leave a message; someone will call back. Association of Former WHO Staff Page 3 APRIL 2011 QNT83 Message from the President ear Readers, Things are happening in our health Carol. Although urged by the Committee to insurance. reconsider their decision, they confirmed it D to the AFSM during their respective terms of In this Quarterly News you will find an office. article on “Health insurance: what’s new?” (page 7) as well as a letter from Marjory Dam, Even though the Committee disagrees with the with our comments, in the Reader’s cor- facts expressed in Marjory’s letter, we do not ner. Some of you have received from another wish to enter into a controversy which will be source a petition signed by Marjory Dam, pointless and counterproductive for everyone. Carole Modis and Ken Langford. We reassure you of our full commitment to continue to work with the Administration and The letter from Marjory follows her non re- retirees to secure the best possible govern- election by the AFSM Executive Committee as ance of the SHI Fund. Our priority is and will the alternate representative on the Headquar- remain focused on protecting your interests to ters Staff Health Insurance Surveillance Com- the best of our ability and we will keep you in- mittee and her subsequent resignation from the formed objectively on the new developments. Executive Committee, together with that of Carole Modis. You will find below the details of For this reason and more than ever, dialogue our representatives elected for the current between us is important. Please do not hesi- biennium. tate to give us your views. We regret the resignations of Marjory 1 and With best wishes. Jean-Paul Menu, Président ------------------------------------- 1. Due to this resignation, Maria Dweggah was declared elected. We warmly welcome her. 2010-2012 Committee: Functions and responsibilities President : Jean-Paul Menu Vice-Presidents: Sue Block Tyrrell, Dev Ray Treasurer: Anne Yamada BUREAU Assistant Treasurer: Bunty Muller Administrator a. i.: Roberto Masironi } -------------------------------------------- Func tions and re spon sibilities Responsibles AAFI/AFICS President (ex officio), replaced by a member of the Bureau when unavailable Staff Health Insurance David Cohen ([email protected] ), Ann van Hulle ([email protected] ) Pensions Ann Van Hulle ([email protected] ), Bunty Muller ([email protected] ) Relations with Regions Ann Van Hulle ([email protected] ), Rajindar Pal Relations with former staff Roberto Masironi ([email protected] ), Yves Beigbeder ([email protected] ), Roger Fontana Quarterly News: Editor in chief, David Cohen ([email protected] ) submission of articles, photos and obituaries AFSM telephone for information : 00 41 22 791 3103/3192 or email [email protected] Association of Former WHO Staff Page 4 APRIL 2011 QNT83 Our health Ischaemic stroke 1: a new treatment technique A new technique to remove blood clots from the brain, designed in the University Hospital of Geneva (HUG), is improving the prognosis of ischaemic strokes. trokes can occur in two The clot which is trapped by the forms: haemorrhagic , when stent is then removed together with an artery bursts (in 30% of the stent” explains Dr Mendes Perei- Scases) and ischaemic , when an ra. This method, developed at the artery is blocked (in 70% of cases). HUG, is used today in hospitals around the world. An ischaemic stroke is painless but destructive: the brain tissues are no More rapid treatment longer irrigated, there is a lack of oxygen, and each minute, 12 million About 800 patients with ischaemic neurons die asphyxiated. With the stroke present each year at the classic treatment used until very HUG. Unfortunately, only 10% of recently, the death rate from them are able to benefit from treat- ischaemic stroke, all ages included, ment. For the rest, it is too late. reached about 50%. They have been deprived of oxygen for too long and the lesions are At the end of 2008, Dr Vitor Mendes irreversible. Pereira from the Geneva Cantonal In the case of an attack of ischaemic Hospital, had the idea of using a 1. Introduction of the stent using a catheter; stroke, it is therefore imperative to it goes through the clot stent 2 to remove the clot blocking act rapidly (read the box). With the 2. The catheter is removed and the stent is the artery. The results have been used to trap the clot classic methods (intravenous throm- spectacular. “With this technique, bosis = disaggregation of the blood 3. The stent is removed with the clot . the clot is removed completely in clot by injection of a product), you results up to eight hours after a about 92% of patients treated. It is had to be operated on at maximum cerebral attack” emphasizes Dr the key to our success. When the within four and a half Mendes Pereira. In addition, we Ischaemic stroke has the dangerous particularity of being pai n- hours after the attack have found a net improvement in the less. Nine times out of ten, patients are hospitalized when the and the results were results. In fact, 64% of patients lesions are already irreversible. In order to act without delay, it treated have regained complete is vital to recognize the symptoms, such as partial paralysis of not effective for large the arm or the face, with difficulty in articulating even simple clots. autonomy after a stroke. This level phrases. In such cases, call the emergency services imme- was only between 25-35% of cases diately. Rapid care can save lives and avoid hemiplegia (para- More effective treat- using the previous methods. lysis on one side). ment Multicentric international study Act FAST : Facial weakness – can the person smile? has their The effectiveness of mouth or eye drooped? the new method has A multicentric international study Arm weakness – can they raise both arms? started in 2010 to enlarge the scien- Speech problems – can they speak normally and understand almost doubled the you? length of time available tific base of clinical data.