Your DNZ
OUR TEAM VISITS LISBON Last December, DNZ CEO, Heather Verry, and DNZ Service Development Manager, Liz Dutton, travelled to the 26th International Diabetes Federation General Assembly in Lisbon, Portugal.
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he International Diabetes Federation General Assembly hosted 229 delegates and was followed by the IDF World Diabetes Congress which attracted over 5600 onsite and online participants from 175 countries. Our team attended as delegates. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an umbrella organisation of more than 230 national diabetes associations in 170 countries and territories. It represents the interests of the growing number of people with diabetes and those at risk. The Federation has been leading the global diabetes community since 1950.
The General Assembly is IDF's general guiding body. It normally meets every two years, at the same time as the World Diabetes Congress. At last year’s Assembly, President Boulton provided his report, which covered two years. This was due to Covid-19 requiring the extension of the mandate of the Board by a year. Over this time, the Board reviewed the Strategic Plan which covered a 10-year period from 2011 to 2021. Professor Hussain (President Elect from Norway) gave an overview of the IDF Strategic Plan, covering the period 2023–2026: The 2022–2021 plan operated under the Vision established for the organisation in the mid-2000s. The Vision, ‘Living in a world without diabetes’ was aspirational but has, at least over the last 15 years, felt unachievable and, subsequently, less than inspirational. The data from our Atlas reports attest to a flooding tide of diabetes that, regretfully, shows no sign of ebbing any time soon. Over the past 15 years, advances in therapy, the organisation of care and, in particular, the introduction of new technologies in monitoring and delivery, suggest to some that we are closer to gaining control over diabetes than we have ever been in the century since the discovery of insulin. Some may feel that science is bringing us ever closer to a cure, at least for type 1 diabetes. However, from the global perspective, the better the care for those fortunate to afford it, or otherwise living under a healthcare Liz Dutton, Laura Snowden and Heather Verry.
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DIABETES WELLNESS | Autumn 2023
