DIE ALGEMENE JAARVERGADERING - OVS / NOORDKAAP TAK 1981

 

DIE ALGEMENE JAARVERGADERING - OVS / NOORDKAAP TAK 1981

Die Algemene Jaarvergadering en Bestuursverkiesing van bogenoemde Tak is gehou op 21st Augustus 1981.

Die vorige Bestuur het dit goed gedink om Dr A Aucamp van die Departement Farmakologie, U.O.V.S, 'n kenner op die gebied van epilepsie, te nader om by die geleentheid as gasspreker op te tree oor die onderwerp: "Sosiale aanpassing van die epileptikus". Dr Aukamp het sy toeligting afgesluit met die vertoning van 'n film genaamd: "I am the same as everybody else". Die besluit van die Bestuur om 'n gasspreker oor 'n aktuele onderwerp uit te nooi, het weereens baie groot byval gevind by lede teenwoordig, sodanig dat hierdie praktyk voortgesit sal word op komende ledevergaderings.

Die Voorsitter, Mnr W Marais, het in sy jaarverslag gewys op die goeie ondersteuning en samewerking verkry van lede die afgelope jaar.  Dit het daartoe gelei dat 'n verdere twee sprekers, nl. mnr E Prinsloo (Hoof Farmaseutiese Dienste, OVS) oor die onderwerp: "Apteekwese Oorseen” en Dr O de Bruin, oor die onderwerp: "Sepsisbeheer in Hospitale", na die ledevergaderings genooi kon word. Die Voorsitter het ook kortliks gewys op die welslae behaal met die opstel van die pligte en leerplanne van Farmaseutiese Tegnici, asook die vordering gemaak met die beoogde verbetering van salarisse en diensvoor waardes vir Hospitaal Aptekers.

Die nuwe Bestuurslede is:

Voorsitter:

Mnr W Marais (Hoofapteker)

 P/a Apteek                                                                                                   

Pelonomi Hospitaal, Bloemfontein

                 

Onder-VoorsItter:

Mnr E Prinsloo (Hoof-Farmaseutiese Dienste, OVS)

 p/a Afdeling Hospitaaldienste

HF Verwoerdgebou. Bloemfontein

 

Sekretaris:

Mnr JS du Toit (Apteker) p/a Apteek,

Oranje Hospitaal Privaatsak X20607 Bloemfontein

Tesourier:

Mnr M Fourie (Apteker) p/a Apteek

Universitas Hospitaal Bloemfontein

 

Addisionele Lid:

Mnr F Van Zyl (Apteker

p/a 3 Militere Hospitaal

Tempe. Bloemfontein

 

Asook Verteenwordigers te

Kimberley                                Mnr C Hobbs

Bethlehem                              Mev N Smuts

Kroonstad:                               Mev C Collinson

Welkom                                    Mnr L Dafel

 

J S DU TOIT           

  

VOORSITTER SE VERSLAG OVS / NOORDKAAP TAK

As voorsitter van die OFS/Noordkaap Tak van die Suid Afrikaanse Vereniging van Hospitaal- en Inrigtingsaptekers is dit my voorreg om aan u verslag te doen oor die werksaamhede van u vereniging die afgelope jaar.

 Op die derde algemene  jaarvergadering, gehou op 22 Augustus  1980 is die volgende persone gekies tot die bestuur van die tak:

 Voorsitter                                :                W F Marais

Onder-Voorsitter :                ;                E C Prinsloo

Sekretaris                                 ;                J S du Toit

Tesouriere                               :                E E Pienaar (Mej)

Addisionele Lid                       :                C J Vosloo

 

Streeksverteenwoordigers:

Kimberley                                :                C Hobbes

Bethlehem                              :                N Smuts (Mev)

Kroonstad                                :                N Oosthuizen

Welkom                                    :                L Dafel

Aan my mede-bestuurslede wil ek vanaand dankie sê vir die positiewe, ordentlike en openhartige wyse waarop hulle u belange op die hart gedra het, asook die taktvolle - ek kan dit nie anders beskryf nie - wyse waarop hulle dikwels met my verskil het, telkens tot voordeel van die tak as geheel. Mense, dit is die demokratiese wyse om 'n ding te doen en ek waardeer dit.

Iets wat ek nie kan nalaat op hierdie stadium nie, is om te noem die besondere steun wat ek van ons Sekretaris, Jan du Toit gekry het nie. Ek het al dikwels gesê, en ek sê dit weer, dat 'n goeie sekretaris vir 'n vereniging goud werd is en dat so 'n persoon dikwels die enkele spil is waarop die vereniging se doeltreffendheid en beeld draai. Ons tak was vanjaar bevoorreg om so 'n sekretaris te hê en ek sê vir jou dankie daarvoor, Jan.

Vergaderingsaktiwiteite:

Vanjaar is daar, benewens die derde algemene jaarvergadering, slegs twee ledevergaderings gehou, wat suiwer "sakevergaderings" was. Die eerste daarvan het Mnr Prinsloo ons 'n verassende nuwe insig gegee in die besondere en tog soortgelyke probleme wat ons kollegas in sekere van ons Europese stamlande ondervind, asook die wyse waarop hulle te werk gaan om die probleme op te los. Ons het gevind dat ons baie van die foute wat hulle gemaak het, kan vermy. Hierdie situasie is dan ook in gedagte gehou met die aanbevelings t.o.v. die pligte en leerplanne van die Farmaseutiese Tegnici wat in beginsel deur die Aptekersraad aanvaar is.

 Dr 0 de Bruin het weer 'n goed-toegeligte lesing gegee oor 'n aktuele onderwerp, nl. sepsisbeheer in 'n hospital. Dit is 'n aspek waarby aptekers direk by betrokke is, maar soms nie in daardie lig sien nie.

Die teoretiese en ook praktiese aanslag van die lesing het baie bygedra om aktiewe deelname van die vergadering te bewerkstellig en ook hier is blywende resultate verkry.

Op hierdie wyse is u Vereeniging besig om op vele terreine te help om ‘n breere uitkyk oor die professie te bewerkstellig as bloot die lees van voorskrifte en hanteering van geneesmiddels.

Miskien is dit verblydend om op te let dat slegs  een “besigsheidvergadering” hierdie jaar uitgestel is, veral as die onderwerp ”Die Apteker en die Hospitaaladministrasie'', ‘n onderwerp wat ook voorregte van die Apteker insluit - sake soos diensvoorwaardes ens., is.  Miskien is die Apteker se diensmotief so groot, dat persoonlike voorregte ‘n ondergeskikte plek beklee. Op daardie dag a1leen kon nie 'n ordentlike vergadering byeengeroep word nie.

In 'n meer ernstige luim wil ek al die lede wat soveel jare al die ledevergaderings ondersteun, bedank vir al die wyse waarop hulle saamgesels en saamdoen. Dit was weereens hierdie jaar aangeneem om saam te keer op hierdie vlak.

Once again I would like to single out two persons for a personal word of thanks and appreciation for the enthusiasm shown by Jack Hobbes and his wife Beverley. As far as I can remember they have not missed more than three or perhaps four of our meetings in the two and a half years that Jack has been a member, despite the fact that the drive all the way from Kimberley to do so. Jack, I think this is tremendous.

Thank you.

 Committee Meetings

These have been well attended as well and quite a lot of important contact has been made through the National Executive on a national level by your Branch Committee. In this regard I might only mention a few matters like curriculae for trainees, Pharmaceutical Technicians and even Pharmacy Students.

Pleas for salary increases and better conditions of service have even been sent directly to the Prime Minister, Minister of Health and the Commission for Administration. These letters and the answers thereto will be continued to be published in Forum, and the encouraging answers are truly gratifying, more so when results are achieved like the full parity between salaries of Coloured, Indian and White Pharmacists, with a narrowing of the gap for Black Pharmacists with the promise of full parity in the very near future.

I might also announce that the pleas for a substantial increase in salaries for Pharmacists commencing their careers is being brought to Parliament this session by the Commission for Administration, and that the figure is substantially higher than the minimum suggested by your Association, although still slightly under the highest starting salary suggested by us.

In all these matters I must mention the support the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa has given us as an affiliated Association to them. Together we have quite a strong voice.

SAAHIP have recently decided to turn part of its attention to· the Pharmacist who has stuck with this sector of the profession for a considerable number of years despite the often demoralising circumstances and in so doing have steadfastly resisted the temptation for better remuneration so often dangled before their noses. Such dedication should also not go unseen and pleas for better promotional opportunities, service conditions and pensions are also now receiving your National Executive's attention. Quite a bit of effort is already being put into this.

On the organizational level I might remind members to send their cqmments regarding the national referendum regarding the organisation and financing of the National Executive, before the 31st August 1981, but also announce that an already overwhelming vote not to accept the proposals as is, has been accepted. Some excellent adjustments to the proposals have been received and are being studied already. We would like to have your thoughts on this matter, since a new proposal is likely soon.

On the branch level I also would like to announce that your Branch Exco have decided to combine business meetings in the future. with social matters and this should comprise five to six meetings per year and be meetings with a better mix of the social, educational and promotional duties of  your Association. With interns to explore this for a year, with your permission.

Laastens will ek die firma Ciba-Geigy en ook Mnre Roy Carmichael. Roy Pienaar,  en Noel Engelbrecht spesifiek dankie sê dat hulle al die afgelope drie jaar al hierdie tak se jaarvergarderings borg. Hulle gesindheid, die moeite wat hulle doen met die reelings en die korrektheid waarmee alles geskied is vir ons baie werd. Ek wil die menere vra om ons dank ook aan die firma se bestuur oor te dra.

Die bestuur wie u vanaand gaan kies, wil ek alle voorspoed toewens vir 'n suksesvolle jaar. Ek het verlede jaar opgemerk dat die Apteker in die openbare sektor se sake aan die opswaai is, en my voorspelling is bewaarheid. Veral ons lede uit die Spoorweg het alreeds die opswaai agtergekom op tasbare wyse en ek weet dat ons ander lede se dinge ook aan die roer is. Daarom weet ek ook dat dit u steun was wat my en my bestuur hierdie jaar werklik bevoorreg het om namens al ons lede na vore te tree. Ons was verenig. Dis vir my bemoedigend om te weet dat die nuwe bestuur ook hierdie steun kan verwag.

 

W  P MARAIS

 

Glimpses from FORUM - A jaundiced View July 1981

 

A PRESCIENT VIEWPOINT FROM 1981

In the early 1980s an active member of the South African Association of Hospital and Institutional pharmacists submitted several opinion pieces for publication in FORUM, the Association’s official journal. He did so under nom-de-plumes, for good reason. One such article I consider as prescient, and I copy it here for you to decide for yourself. It was published in the July 1981 issue of Forum.

A JAUNDICED VIEW……

More about Cloud Nine and some thoughts about SAAHIP and the PSSA

I must say I enjoy this anonymous column writing! I can let off steam in considerable amounts without a care for the consequences and am saving on my visits to my psychiatrist.

I have been gleefully watching ripples spreading from my outpouring about Cloud Nine. Quite a number of pharmacists seem to think it referred to their hospital. Others are confident that it could not possibly be them. (easy conscience or insufferable complacency?). Tempting though it is to give the pot a few more stirs to see what happens, my better side will not do it, and the Truth must be Told. And the truth is that Cloud Nine Hospital is no single hospital, (though I can think of a few Cloud Sixes or Sevens) but it is a horrible monster, like Frankenstein, made out of bits. In this case, the worst bits from several hospitals, not all from the same town, or for that matter even from the same province! So you can all relax – it wasn’t really directed at YOU, even if you did seem to recognise one or two of the bits! There was one pharmacist who was actually quite indignant about it.  “Quite unfair” she said. Now there’s a paradox for you!

Whatever therapeutic effect I derived from the Cloud Nine affair, it was all dissipated by this business about SAAHIP being taken over by the PSSA. (Well, yes, I know it’s supposed to be only finances, but he who pays the piper ……) And talking of finances, the reason we're in this spot is that of the R25 you pay, the PSSA keeps R10 and gives us R15 to run SAAHIP.  With rising costs this isn't enough. So, what do we do? Why, instead of  asking for a bit more than only 40% of the subscription which we pay to run our Association to look after our interests or even asking for it all, for goodness sake, we go and propose to hand the lot over to the PSSA in return for…… well, in return for agreeing to submit our budget to the PSSA by January 31st, and an agreement that any increase in subscriptions will be discussed with us first! Discussed, not necessarily approved!

I know the third “A" in SAAHIP can be abbreviated to "Ass." but really don't think we should allow ourselves to be taken for a donkey ride like this. After all, we had a choice. We joined SAAHIP and not the PSSA because we knew (or so we thought) how our interests would best be served.

Now I'm not saying that the PSSA is anything but a body of fine and upstanding, honourable men. I know and have dealt with, and greatly admire many members of the PSSA's Executive. We can learn a great deal from them. We should co-operate and liaise with them and do our damndest not to dispute with them.

Our basic interests are similar, but - and here's the rub - not necessarily always identical. At times they might di£fer sharply. And then what? If we need finances to conduct a campaign opposing theirs, will we get it? Can you not think of example after example of how undesirable it might be not to be able to act with total independence?

Already they have differed with us - or at least required a great deal of convincing to the contrary. That time they were convinced. Next time they may not be.

So what shall we do? Close up shop and leave it all in the hands of the PSSA? Should we just leave it, as our Exco with colossal effrontery has dared to put it to us - assuming our consent if we don't write in and put them right? Shouldn't we have a much harder look at it?

'1 leave you with this thought - remember the Chamber Principle? - Where SAAHIP would be the Institutional "Chamber" in a Society which would "speak with one voice"? A Society in which the "Retail Chamber" would be able to outvote all the other Chambers put together?

Good. Now, do you remember why it was all dropped? Not because it was inequitable. Not because SAAHIP wouldn't agree. No. It was, if I am not mistaken, because it would put too much influence in the hands of employee pharmacists at the expense of the owner-interests which dominate the PSSA!

A straw, if ever there was one, in the wind which could sweep away fifteen or more years of steady progress, by SAAHIP, just as it is wielding ever more significant influence -· influence which must remain with us and not with a body who, however honourable and fair, have their own interests and whose knowledge of our problems is often wildly inaccurate.

Incidentally, I can disclose that there is no truth in rumours that at the next general election the Prime Minister will consider the Opposition voted out of office if he doesn1t hear to the contrary by a specified date! Exco - please note!

ICTERIS