About
The Ligue Marocaine de Lutte contre le Diabète » is a non-governmental organisation, founded in 1990 by the late Professor Jamal Din Bensouda.
Recognising the importance of the involvement of a variety of partners, the Moroccan League has brought together complementary organisations right from the start. In addition to endocrinologists, diabetes doctors and people with diabetes, the League is open not only to medical experts (cardiologists, nephrologists, dietitians, GPs, ophthalmologists, psychologists, etc.), but also to lawyers, economists, parliamentarians, religious leaders and journalists.
Main Focus
- To generate awareness about diabetes among the general public and people with the condition and emphasise the importance of prevention.
- To help people with diabetes to improve the management of their condition;
- To promote education of people with diabetes;
- To improve diabetes care throughout the country;
- To promote diabetes research and national epidemiology.
Activities
World Diabetes Day
The Ligue Marocaine de Lutte contre le Diabète organises a number of activities to mark World Diabetes Day (WDD) each year. These include
- A scientific programme with continuous education of health professionals, nurses and general practitioners in the region.
- Awareness-raising and education for people with diabetes and the general public, diabetes screening, colouring and animation sessions for children and young people on healthy lifestyles and diabetes prevention.
Diabetes Morocco Meeting
The association organises an important scientific meeting every year. It includes lectures, symposiums and workshops for specialists, GPs and health professionals.
Awareness/Education
The Moroccan League organises education of people with diabetes and their families. Awareness-raising and prevention activities for young people are planned in public and private schools, including nutrition and lifestyle education, particularly against smoking in schools and colleges. Activities are organised in Rabat, Dakhla, Laayoune, Témara, Salé and other cities.
Training
- Conferences and workshops for general practitioners in different regions of Morocco and training seminars for educators.
- Collaboration with public and private organizations in the field of epidemiological studies, cost estimation of diabetes management and its complications, field investigations;
- Brainstorming on the beginnings of the project about educational centers for people living with diabetes and training trainers;
- Preparation of reports and documents on the condition;
- Regular update of website and Facebook page.
Partnership
- As an active member in the MENA Region, the Moroccan League is committed to the development of the region’s activities with targeted activities (national programme to fight against diabetes, journalist training, diabetes education ..). It also develops bilateral cooperation and scientific exchanges with African countries.
- The league establishes networks and partnerships between national and regional associations and collaborates with the ministries of health, youth, sport as well as with religious entities.
- During medical congresses, seminars and various activities, the League works regularly to involve not only the different relevant departments of the Ministry of Health, but also the National Council of the National Order of Physicians, the National Fund of Organisms of Social Welfare, the National Agency for Health Insurance and the Parliament. Meetings are planned with these organisations for better management of diabetes and chronic conditions in Morocco.
- With the Moroccan parliament and the support of parliamentarian members of the League and the Commission for Health, the taxation of Sweetened Beverages was adopted unanimously in November 11, 2018 by the Finance Committee of Parliament. The members of the working group are now working to extend the tax to all sugary products during future Moroccan finance bills. They continue advocacy and awareness-raising work at a government level and with the media and civil society.
- All these efforts helped the Moroccan League for the Fight against Diabetes win the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force Award and the WHO Special Program Award on Primary Health Care in 2022.
Message from the President
The Moroccan League for the Fight against Diabetes has been a member of the International Diabetes Federation since 1995. The League fully supports the objectives of the IDF to work to prevent diabetes, to improve the quality of life of people with diabetes and to promote a healthy lifestyle. The League also works in the international and regional arena to fight the diabetes epidemic by developing and coordinating strategies to fight diabetes, in an integrated and collaborative approach involving governments based on IDF guidelines, taking into account national and regional differences.