Dr. Alexander Kalache and Ron Raab are recipients of Awards to be presented at the 11th Annual International Diabetes Conference to be held from March 3-6 at the Jamaica Conference Centre.
Dr Alexander Kalache, Head of the Ageing and Life Course Programme (ACL) at the World Health Organization (WHO) is this year’s recipient of the Sir Alister McIntyre Distinguished Award for outstanding contribution to the medical sciences. The award will be presented on Thursday morning at the first scientific session of the conference where Dr Kalache will deliver the Sir Alister Distinguished Lecture on the topic: “Ageing, the Greatest Public Health Challenge for the 21st Century”. He has headed the ALC since 1995. The activities of the ALC are designed to advance the state of knowledge in gerontology (the scientific study of old age and old people) and about healthcare in older age through dissemination of information, training and research efforts. The special focus of the ALC is the development of policies reflecting the WHO Active Ageing Framework.
Ron Raab an Australian known for his initiatives in distributing insulin worldwide to needy populations has been elected to receive this year’s Sir Philip Sherlock Distinguished Award. The award will be presented to Mr. Raab, at the Conference Banquet on Saturday night, March 5, to be held at the Eden Gardens, Lady Musgrave Road, Kingston. Mr. Raab, himself a Type 1 diabetic, needing life- saving insulin daily since age 6, is being recognized for his outstanding services internationally in diabetes.
He is Vice President of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and a member of its Insulin Strips and Other Diabetes Supplies Task Force, and President, Insulin for Life Incorporated which sends insulin and other supplies worldwide to countries on a sustainable, equitable basis.