SA Heart Congress unites cardiologists for better care

The SA Heart Annual Congress will take place from 8 to 10 November at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg. The three-day congress, themed “Cardiology Connections”, will promote collaboration and dialogue among local and international cardiology professionals.

The congress offers a unique platform for experts, practitioners and researchers worldwide to share insights on the latest advancements and challenges in cardiovascular medicine.

The dynamic programme includes keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops and networking sessions. The agenda covers a comprehensive range of cardiology topics, designed to provide practical knowledge and inspire innovation in the field. Attendees will gain critical insights into the latest developments that have the potential to enhance patient care.

“We are excited to welcome a distinguished international and local faculty,” says Dr Ahmed Vachiat, SA Heart Congress convenor. “At the core of SA Heart is the mission to advance cardiovascular care through education, research and advocacy. By connecting healthcare professionals from across sectors, this congress will drive forward our vision of improving cardiovascular care for all in South Africa. We are also grateful for the invaluable support of our local experts, whose contributions consistently uphold international standards of excellence.”

A significant focus this year is strengthening connections among various special interest groups including the SA Society of Cardiovascular Interventions, Cardiac Imaging Society of South Africa, Cardiac Arrhythmia Society of Southern Africa, Heart Failure Association of South Africa, Interventional Society of Cath Lab Allied Professionals, South African Society for Cardiovascular Research, and the Paediatric Cardiac Society of South Africa.

Joint sessions and interdisciplinary programmes will enable these groups to work together to enhance healthcare delivery for all patients in need of cardiac intervention and treatment. Workshops and scientific sessions will feature innovative learning approaches aimed at facilitating knowledge exchange and professional growth.

A cardiovascular team from the Mayo Clinic – Prof. Vuyi Nkomo (imaging cardiologist), Prof. Sorin Pislaru (chair, Structural Heart Disease) and Dr Juan Crestanello (chair, Cardiothoracic Surgery) – will conduct an echocardiography workshop and contribute to various specialist workshops on Friday morning, 8 November.

Dr Thomas Alexander, a respected interventional cardiologist based in India, will share insights on establishing STEMI networks in South Africa. Dr Stylianos Pyxaras from Germany and Dr Andrew Ladwiniec from the United Kingdom will discuss chronic total occlusions and complex coronary interventions. Prof. Azfar Zaman and Dr Roy Gardner, also from the UK, and leaders in their field, as well as Dr Thierry Lefèvre from France, will join esteemed local experts in addressing important cardiovascular topics.

A new addition to this year’s programme is the Imbizo on Rheumatology and Cardiac Diseases. Over 40 abstracts have been submitted, and research sessions guided by SASCAR will be keeping delegates up to date with the latest in the field of cardiology.

Furthermore, an excellent parallel paediatric programme will feature global leaders, Prof. Krishna Kumar from India and Prof. McDaniel from the United States, with a pre-congress workshop and highly interactive sessions that will incorporate insights from local experts.

“This year, a Heartbeat Stage will feature insightful talks, engaging presentations and a special networking address,” says Dr Vachiat. “We are honoured to have Dr Imtiaz Sooliman from Gift of the Givers, who will share his thoughts on Connecting Hearts and Social Responsibility.”

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