The International Diabetes Federation's 20th World Diabetes Congress came to a close today. A successful meeting of the global diabetes community reconfirmed its position as one of the most significant events on the global health calendar. The five-day event attracted 12,000 international delegates to Montreal, Canada to access the latest data and opinion from the scientific community, discuss key issues in diabetes care, and exchange information on how available resources can best be used to tackle the global diabetes problem.
Delegates left the congress energized by the experience and ready to take key learnings back to their countries to see how local adaption and implementation can best benefit people living with diabetes and those at risk.
Professor Philip Home, Chair of the IDF Congress Programme Committee, reported that "feedback from participants at the World Diabetes Congress has been enthusiastically positive. In particular, the sessions covering lifestyle issues such as the prevention of diabetes, the updates on new therapeutic trials, and a number of IDF initiatives - especially new clinical guidelines, proved very popular. But most of all, people remarked on what a lively networking meeting this has been."
The diabetes mega-congress highlighted the need for increased political action to affect change. This need was emphasized by the figures launched from the IDF Diabetes Atlas 4th Edition at the Congress. An estimated 285 million are now living with diabetes, with the figure expected to reach nearly 440 million by 2030 if the current trend is not addressed(i). The stark news added to the shared frustration within the diabetes community that not enough is being done to address the diabetes threat and strengthened resolve to present a united front to meet the diabetes challenge.
Dr Linda Siminerio, Chair of the IDF Congress Organizing Committee, was pleased to report the success of the Congress: "The International Federation's 20th World Diabetes Congress has been an energizing and successful experience for the global diabetes community. More than 12,000 attendees from 150 countries, including doctors, nurses, health ministers, people with diabetes and many others, came here to exchange the latest thinking and practices. We have all taken away something that will feed into our own care settings and help us improve diabetes care in our respective countries."
The global diabetes community will re-convene in two years time at the 21st World Diabetes Congress in Dubai 2011.
IDF 20th World Diabetes Congress webcasts are available at www.worlddiabetescongress.org as of October 26, 2009.
Note to Editors:
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an umbrella organization of over 200 member associations in more than 160 countries, representing the 285 million people with diabetes, their families, and their healthcare providers. The mission of IDF is to promote diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide. Its main activities include education for people with diabetes and healthcare professionals, public awareness campaigns and the promotion and exchange of information. IDF is a non-governmental organization in official relations with WHO and associated to the United Nations' Department of Public Information. IDF organizes the World Diabetes Congress every two years. For more information, please visit www.idf.org
(i) IDF Diabetes Atlas, 4th Edition, International Diabetes Federation, 2009. www.diabetesatlas.org
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