The International Federation of Hospital Engineering (IFHE), of which IHEEM is a national member, remains in a healthy financial position, with a “better than expected income” from its last Congress, held in November 2008 in Barcelona, members of the Federation’s Executive and Council learned at recent meetings in Buenos Aires.
HEJ Journal Committee member and IFHE representative Andy Wavell and fellow IHEEM IFHE representative Ronnie Browne both attended the meetings, arriving “to +30°C temperatures, and humid weather conditions”. Andy Wavell said: “The Argentinian Health Organisation (AADAIH) looked after us very well, taking us to their afterconference dinner and a tango show at one of Buenos Aires’ many tango cafés. The IFHE Executive met on 31 October and the Federation’s Council on 1 November, the latter being attended by some 10 countries, well short of the 41 members that would normally attend a Congress. “We learned at the Council meeting that the IFHE membership has increased by one, with the acceptance of Italy’s SIAIS, which will now form an alliance with the other relevant Italian organisation, FENATO. We also heard that an accommodation had been agreed with several countries that are in arrears with their fees to ensure that their membership continued, while dialogue had been continuing with both China and countries in the Baltic States to encourage them to join. “The meeting confirmed that arrangements with IHEEM continued satisfactorily,” Andy Wavell explained. “The general secretary indicated that three IFHE newsletters had been issued during the year, and that Health Estate Journal (the international issues) continued to be sent out to member organisations. It is hoped that the IFHE booklet, giving a history of the organisation, can be updated to chronicle the last 40 years, and be ready for the next Congress in 2010.” The Council agreed that fees would remain unchanged for the next year, but that the sliding scale used to determine the level of fee for each organisation would be reviewed. Andy Wavell said: “It was also agreed that the level of help given to Executive Committee members attending meetings be looked at over the next year to determine if more equitable arrangements could be found that did not result in a huge increase in members’ fees.” IFHE’s general secretary confirmed that the WHO/IFHE liaison representative had left the organisation, with no current indication of a replacement. It was agreed that Dr Sidney Parsons, a South African Federation of Hospital Engineering (SAFHE) representative, would pursue this, since IFHE considers its WHO links very important. Andy Wavell said: “Updates were also given on both the 21st IFHE Congress to be held in Tokyo (from 17-19 November this year – HEJ –November 2009) and the 22nd, which will he held in Norway. Indications are that both are well on in the organisation phase, and will lead to successful events in both countries. Ronnie Browne and I gave a brief resumé of our intention to bid for the 2014 Congress, and were pleased at the response. Obviously a full bid will be required at the 2010 Congress in Tokyo.” IFHE members also gave brief reports on activities over the last year. Andy Wavell said: “It was pleasing to hear how some areas, particularly South America, are doing much work to expand the ideas of IFHE, and also grouping neighbouring countries into regional groups.”
