A conversation with IDF President, Jean Claude Mbanya

This month we say farewell to Jean Claude Mbanya, IDF’s President since 2009. Jean Claude has seen many developments over his three year presidency. We ask him what his highlights were and what’s next for him?

At the start of your presidency did you set yourself particular goals? Have these been fulfilled?
I think that at the start of every presidency you have both organisational and personal goals. On an organisational level, I was guided by the strategic plan for the triennium approved by the General Council. This included the strengthening of IDF’s 200 Member Associations. I also had some personal goals, which I wanted to fulfil during my term as IDF President.
At the start of my triennium we had the global advocacy plan which was a priority for me to put into action. In 2006 the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 61/225 which shaped the way and gave us leverage through the World Diabetes Day campaign. As president of IDF, I had to ensure that IDF continued to be the voice for all people with diabetes, regardless of where they lived. If you look at people with diabetes around the world, especially in low and middle income countries, awareness might be present but access to medication and health services and prioritisation by the healthcare systems is not always there. So, it was important that IDF continued to lobby and advocate for their rights.

In September 2011 our voice was heard. The first UN High Level Summit on the Prevention and Control of Non- communicable Diseases (NCDs) was held in September 2011 in New York. This was a major milestone in the history of diabetes and other NCDs.

On the whole, I would say that I am happy and satisfied with what has been achieved during my term.

Another priority for IDF revolved around strengthening our Member Associations. Throughout the year, projects and programmes on the ground helped bolster the impact of IDF’s work on the regional or grassroots level. IDF’s advocacy work around the UN Summit also mobilised our diabetes network and empowered our Member Associations to advocate and act on diabetes alongside their local governments and decision-makers.
The second set of goals that I set for myself included restructuring IDF’s Executive Office based in Brussels, Belgium. Our aim was to give it a more business structure, something which I stressed in my nomination speech at the IDF General Council in Cape Town in 2006. During the 2009-2012 triennium, I created Board committees to analyse and discuss issues and agenda items more effectively in smaller groups and in collaboration with the relevant staff representatives. I think this has been successful, it is not yet perfect but we are getting there.
Lastly I would like to mention the 2011 World Diabetes Congress in Dubai. During the congress year, I travelled to the Middle-East at least four times to mobilise the region, which is at the forefront of the diabetes epidemic. A successful congress was key to empowering our Member Associations and local decision-makers and driving diabetes programmes from within the region. Over 15,000 delegates attended the Congress, more than 2,000 from the MENA region, something that had never been achieved before. This congress built bridges.
On the whole I would say that I am happy and satisfied with what has been achieved during my term.

Can you tell us one of your highlights as IDF President?
One of my highlights as President was the recent agreement of WHO member states to a range of NCD targets. Having a Summit is one thing but when you get national governments to start putting frameworks and targets in place, you begin to hope that change is indeed possible. I have just been invited by the WHO to look at how we can reshape the targets in terms of implementation and how we can leverage the targets regarding the future development framework.

One of my highlights as President was the recent agreement of WHO member states to a range of NCD targets.

During your time working with IDF, what has been one of the most noticeable changes in the organisation?
Having spent 18 years on the Board of IDF, the major change that I have witnessed is the transformation of IDF into being the true global voice for people with diabetes. When I started, IDF was a very small organisation with a limited range of activities: mainly focused on key diabetes publications and a Congress every three years. Now it is a dynamic advocate for people with diabetes all over the world organising a biennial Congress. The recognition that the Federation has increasingly received over the last 18 years and the contribution that it has made to diabetes and diabetes care has been tremendous. I hope to see this continue in the future.

How do you want to see IDF develop in the future?
I think this is a very difficult question. The advantage we have at IDF is that every Board brings its own contribution, each one building on the achievements of its predecessor. I want to see IDF continue to grow. We must also try to leverage what has been achieved through the UN Summit on NCDs. Member Associations must be supported by the development of programmes and tools that they can use as ombudsmen. This will help countries ensure their own governments follow through on NCD commitments and that measures are put in place to achieve them. IDF’s strength lies in its strong regional offices and well-developed Member Associations, so I would also like to continue to see these two strengthened. Ultimately, I envisage that IDF will become a big periphery with a small centre, rather than the other way around.

Wherever and whenever I am called upon, I will make a contribution.

What’s next for you?
I am serving on several international committees and groups. I am also a Professor of Endocrinology and run a research group. I have the advantage of still being young with many years left before retirement. I plan to continue my work on the international committees I belong to and, more importantly, on advocacy programmes in Cameroon. Wherever and whenever I am called upon, I will make a contribution.