Professor Jean Claude Mbanya is President of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). He is Professor of Medicine and Endocrinology at the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon and Consultant Physician, Director of the Health in Transition Research Group, Director of the National Obesity Centre University of Yaounde, Cameroon and Chief of the Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases Unit at the Hospital Central in Yaoundé.
He was instrumental in the IDF-led ‘Unite for Diabetes’ campaign, which led to passage of the United Nations Day Resolution on Diabetes in December 2006. He now steers IDF strategic direction to encourage governments to implement polices for the treatment, care and prevention of diabetes.
Professor Mbanya’s research mainly focuses on cultural diabetes-related factors, which are often unique to the African countries and communities he studies. His practice and research have largely contributed to increase the world’s awareness on diabetes in Africa, a continent where non-contagious diseases such as diabetes are too often overlooked. Cameroon has now become an important centre of research, acclaimed by the medical community.
Professor Mbanya has been actively involved with IDF for many years, notably as President-Elect (2006-2009), Chair of the IDF African Region (1994-2000), Vice-President of IDF (2000-2006), member of the Board of Management and Executive Board (1994-present) and Chair of the IDF Task Force on Insulin, Test Strips and Other Diabetes Supplies (1997-2006). Prof Mbanya also serves on several WHO advisory groups: the WHO African Advisory Committee on Health Research and Development, the WHO Expert Advisory Panel on Chronic Degenerative Diseases Diabetes, and the WHO Committee on Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes.
Professor Mbanya has served on the editorial boards of Diabetes Voice, Practical Diabetes International, International Diabetes Digest and British Medical Journal. He is currently co-editor of Diabetes in Africa.
He is a recipient of many international research grants and awards including the American Diabetes Association’s 2004 Harold Rifkin award for Distinguished International Service in the Cause of Diabetes and the 2009 Philip Sherlock Award of the University Outreach Diabetes Group, Jamaica, for his outstanding international service in the field of diabetes.
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