New Zealand diabetes Congress 'enormous' success
Around 2,000 delegates attended the International Diabetes Federation Western Pacific Congress in Wellington, New
Zealand, from 30 March to 2 April. This makes the Congress one of the biggest conferences ever held in New Zealand.
Including sponsors registrations, the total number of attendees was around 2,200.
This Congress has been an enormous success, according to the Chair of the Scientific Committee, Professor Russell
Scott. The programme has featured state of the art lectures on innovative research, clinical care and diabetes
education.
This has been an opportunity to not only promote diabetes awareness, prevention and management in the region (Pacific,
Oceania and Asia), but it has profiled the significant differences between the various countries that comprise the
WPIDF.
Around 70% of the delegates were international visitors. Presentations by experts from the Asia Pacific region were
complemented by talks by UK, US and Canadian diabetes opinion leaders.
One of the six Congress streams was focused on diabetes in the Western Pacific Region and included presentations on the
changing face of diabetes in Asia and the Pacific, environmental and ethnicity in the region and ethnicity, and diabetes
and its complications. All of the streams had an international perspective and carried a cohesive message on the need to
develop global strategies for what are global problems.
The importance of the United Nations Resolution 61/225, which encourages signatories to develop national policies for
the prevention, treatment and care of diabetes in line with the sustainable development of their healthcare systems, has
been reinforced by several key speakers.
For the first time, all the Member governments acknowledged that this non-infectious disease posed as serious a threat
to world health as infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria. We need the governments of the region to support and
fund the ongoing diabetes priorities that have been highlighted at this Congress, concludes Professor Scott.
International momentum for real change and commitment has been generated here and all participating delegates at this
Congress want to see this continue. More research investment and the implementation of sustainable interventions that
arrest the growth of diabetes, both Type 1 and Type 2, will be a positive first step in the global battle to defeat
diabetes.
ENDS
For more information on the Congress programme, please go to HYPERLINK "http://www.idfwpr2008.org/"www.idfwpr2008.org.
International Diabetes Federation Western Pacific Region (IDF-WPR) Congress Background Information
Have there been IDF-WPR Congresses here before?
Not in New Zealand, but recent Congresses in the Western Pacific Region have been:
* Sydney 1999 (1200 attendees) * Beijing 2002 (2000+) * Bangkok 2005 (1900+)
What topics were featured?
Diabetes is a complex disease and a wide range of subjects were covered under the following streams:
* Prevention of Obesity and Diabetes
* Health care delivery
* Living with diabetes
* Basic science
* Nutrition and exercise
* Diabetes in the Western Pacific IDF Region
* Clinical Care
Was the current IDF focus on diabetes and youth recognised in this Congress?
There was a special youth programme within the Congress for selected delegates aged 18-25 years 24 from the IDF member
countries of the Western Pacific Region and 24 from New Zealand. Youth delegates attended some of the key sessions of
the Congress and also had their own sessions.
Who was responsible for getting the Congress here?
In May/June 2004 Diabetes New Zealand, with the support of the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes, and the
Wellington City Council (who funded the documentation), submitted a written proposal to the IDF-WPR secretariat in
Singapore. In December that year Diabetes New Zealand made a formal presentation to the IDF-WPR Council at a meeting in
Sydney.
What is the International Diabetes Federation?
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is a worldwide alliance of over 200 diabetes associations in more than 160
countries. It is the only global advocate for people with diabetes and their healthcare providers. The IDF works in
conjunction with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to enhance the lives of people with diabetes everywhere. It is the
mission of IDF to promote diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide.
What countries are in the Western Pacific Region?
The Western Pacific Region comprises Australia, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Macau,
Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga and Vietnam.
Who organised the Congress?
Diabetes Congress Limited has been incorporated specifically to own and manage this Congress. This company is owned
equally by Diabetes New Zealand and the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes.
What is Diabetes New Zealand?
Diabetes New Zealand Inc is a national membership organisation. Its aim is to support their members, the 39 diabetes
societies throughout New Zealand and health professionals. Diabetes New Zealand acts for people affected by diabetes by:
encouraging local support
acting as an advocate
raising awareness of diabetes and diabetes prevention
educating and informing people about diabetes, its treatment,
management and control
supporting research into the treatment, prevention and cure of
diabetes.
The National Office is in Wellington.
What is the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes (NZSSD)?
NZSSD Inc is the national advisory body on scientific and clinical diabetes care and standards. NZSSD's objectives are
to promote the study of diabetes and the best standards of care of diabetes in New Zealand. It also provides the
national reference source on the subject. Its members include diabetes specialist physicians, diabetes specialist
nurses, podiatrists, dietitians, ophthalmologists, general physicians and clinical, community and industrial health
workers.
ENDS