Southern Ethiopia - Gwent Health Link

1. Present.
Pam Powell (minutes), Cath Butterfield, Andrew Jones, Robyn Phllips, Melrose East, Brydon Williams,Biku Ghosh, Dave Williams, Peter Sampson (Chair), Rachel Giaccone, Peter Dale, Sandy Holt-Wilson.

Apologies:
Emma Mills, Jane Hervé, Joni Howells, Iestyn Harrigan, Cath Price, Peter Smith, Jill Curtis, Sally Venn.

2. Minutes of last meeting.The minutes of the last meeting were agreed as an accurate record.

3. Reports. Link Co-ordinator report.  Biku Ghosh presented his annual report outlining the activities of the link during the year 2010-2011. The report has also been submitted to the Wales for Africa Health links annual report. He said that the link continued to work at all levels of healthcare in the SNNPR region, including village health posts, health centres, and district and University hospitals. Apart from the project in helping the women’s group in Wondo Genet and a visit to Hawassa by the plastic surgeons group, all the other goals were achieved during the year. The full report will be available on the website.

Treasurers  report.  Peter Sampson presented the annual charity commission accounts from March 2010-March 2011 showing a total income for the year of £59,998.16 and expenditure of £50,929.67 leaving a closing balance of £7,182.84. The charity commission accounts for March 2009/2010 have been agreed with the Charity Commission although subsequent accounts will need to be examined by an independent person as our account is over £25,000.  

Chairman’s report. Peter Sampson read out his Chairman’s report and reported on another successful year for the link and congratulated everyone involved for their efforts. The full report will be available on the website. Biku praised Peter’s efforts over the last 5 years as Chairman, saying he was the best Chairman we have had and thanked him for his very real involvement in the link. 

4. Election of officials. Chairman. Biku nominated Dave Williams for this position and this was seconded by Peter Sampson and he was duly elected. 

Link co-ordinator. It was unanimously agreed that Biku should retain his position and he was agreeable to this. 

Treasurer. Peter Sampson nominated Robyn and this was seconded Biku. It was agreed and as she is already a signatory on the account this was favourable.  

Lead Midwife. Melrose was re-elected and retained this position.

Laboratory Lead. Dave Williams was re-elected and retained this position.

5. Date of next meeting. The next committee meeting will be held on Monday 4^th July in the Education Centre, Nevill Hall Hospital at 5:15 pm.