International Diabetes Federation

MONTREAL, QUEBEC (Marketwire October 20, 2009) the International Diabetes Federation is proud to welcome Professor Jean Claude Mbanya de Camerun as its new President at the end of the 20 th World Congress on Diabetes by the IDF, held on 22 October. The President will occupy the post the next three years. The IDF announced that Sir Michael Hirst, of the United Kingdom, was elected President-elect of the general Council of the IDF, a member composed of more than 200 associations organ of the IDF in more than 160 countries. Sir Michael will replace President Mbanya in 2012. Jean Claude Mbanya is Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Yaounde, Cameroon, and is head of the unit of Endocrinology and metabolic diseases at the central Hospital of Yaounde. He was one of the pillars of the campaign promoted by the United Fidelity by diabetes, which led to the adoption of the resolution of the international day of the diabetes by the United Nations in December 2006. Currently coordinates the strategic direction of the IDF to encourage Governments to incorporate policies for treatment, care and prevention of diabetes.

Professor Mbanya investigations focus on cultural factors related to diabetes, which sometimes are exclusive of African countries and communities in which carried out their studies. His experience and his research have helped to raise global awareness of diabetes in Africa, a continent where non-communicable diseases, as in the case of diabetes, tend not to be taken into account. It takes up his duties at a moment in which diabetes and other non-infectious diseases are charged a high price at the global level, since most of the cases are concentrated in developing countries. Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases cause 60% of all deaths in the world, and four of every five cases occur in countries with low incomes and stockings.