PRINCESS OF JAPAN HONOURED AT UNION GENERAL ASSEMBLY
AS FEDERATION DISCUSSES ORGANISATION’S DIRECTION
The General Assembly is held in conjunction with the Union World Conference and is attended by the Federation – the governing body of The Union. It is an opportunity for Union members to review the past year and the plans for the coming one, elect new members and officers to the Board of Directors, and to conduct other business.
The General Assembly 2018 was held in The Hague, The Netherlands, on Friday 26 October. Dr Jeremiah Chakaya Muhwa, The Union’s President, welcomed HIH The Princess Akishino of Japan, along with heritage, organisational, honorary, and individual members to the proceedings.
The President’s Report
Dr Chakaya presented updates on The Union’s recent achievements as they relate to the strategic goals of
the organisation as set forth by the Board of Directors. Highlights included The Union’s advocacy efforts
around the UN HLM on TB, highlighting the silent epidemic of child TB, and being named as industry
watchdog against the tobacco industry.
The President relayed the Board’s efforts to increase member numbers and engagement through webinars
and member engagement teams where Union members play an advisory role in key Union activities.
Elections
The Nominating Committee received 11 applications for the five vacant seats for individual member representatives on the Board of Directors.
The General Assembly elected the following individual member representatives: Dr Erlina Burhan (Indonesia),
Prof Guy Marks (Australia), Dr Kosuke Okada (Japan), Dr Pamela Orr (Canada), Dr Xiaolin Wei (Canada).
Resolutions
The General Assembly unanimously approved the Annual Report, treasurer’s report, and audited accounts for the period of 1 January to 31 December 2017, and the budget for 2019.
Modifications to Articles 5 and 6 of The Union’s Constitution were approved with the goal of improving and managing succession planning for the Bureau. These measures instate three-year Bureau terms, including some extensions so no member comes up for re-election mid-term, staggering the elections of roles so not all positions transition in the same year, and the creation of a one-year President-Elect role to facilitate transitions.
The General Assembly, having read the reports, gave full discharge to the President and the Board of Directors for the management of that period.
The Assembly gave power to the Board of Directors or its President by delegation, to fulfill all the formalities or distribution / diffusion relative to the aforementioned adopted resolutions.
Union World Conferences 2019 and 2020
Locations for the Union World Conference on Lung Health for 2019 (Hyderabad, India) and 2020 (Seville, Spain) were selected through an open bid process and approved by the Board of Directors. Bids for the 2021 location open in early 2019.
Awards and Honours
HIH The Princess Akishino of Japan along with Prof Bertel S Squire, UK, were made Honorary Members of The Union. Dr Joseph Amolo Aluoch, Kenya, was presented with his Honorary Membership from the previous year.
The Union Medal, the organisation’s highest honour, was awarded to Professor Andrew Nunn, UK, and Professor Sir Alimuddin Zumla, Zambia, for their outstanding achievements in lung health and longstanding support for The Union.
Dr Dean Schraufnagel announced the winners of the 2018 Christmas Seals Contest:
1st Prize: The Tuberculosis Association of India
2nd Prize: Korean National Tuberculosis Association
3rd Prize: The Hong Kong Tuberculosis, Chest and Heart Diseases Association
IN MEMORIAM
The following members who passed away in 2018 were remembered for their contribution to our common cause.
- David Cooper
- Abdul Rahman Attar
- Denis Mitchison
- Matthijs Adriaan Bleiker
- James Kieran
other business
The issues surrounding indigenous peoples and TB were raised, with attention brought to the fact that indigenous people suffer TB rates 99 to 200 times the national average. The Moscow Declaration specifically references indigenous people, including a call to action regarding states’ commitments.
Thank you
Dr Chakaya Muhwa thanked the General Assembly and adjourned the meeting.