Inside the Tracks:
Meet the WCA2026 Chairs

Tell us more about your topic and what attendees can expect from your track.
The Pediatric Track will cover a wide spectrum of global pediatric anesthesia issues, including perioperative hypotension, pediatric pain, and anesthesia for complex conditions. It features workshops on difficult IV access and EEG monitoring. Attendees can expect practical, evidence-based updates from diverse global perspectives.

What inspired you to specialise in this field and contribute to WCA2026?
I was drawn to pediatric anesthesia by the impact safe care has on vulnerable children. Through research and education, I’ve seen real improvements. WCA2026 offers a chance to expand these efforts and unite global voices.

How will your track contribute to the scientific excellence and global impact of WCA2026?
Our track features global leaders addressing real-world pediatric challenges. With a focus on innovation, equity, and practical solutions, we aim to improve care and create lasting impact worldwide.

Tell us more about your topic and what attendees can expect from your track.
Patient safety is central in perioperative care in all healthcare systems. Although we are all striving for the highest quality and excellence in our daily practice, incidents and adverse events might occur—and we can learn from these events if we talk about them, to improve care in the future.

What inspired you to specialise in this field and contribute to WCA2026?
Quality of care can steadily be improved, no matter from which level of quality or which healthcare system we are coming; avoiding harm to patients is the highest priority. There are simpler measures to improve care (name tags and breaking down hierarchy) and more difficult changes (culture change).

How will your track contribute to the scientific excellence and global impact of WCA2026?
Bringing colleagues together to talk about quality and safety projects in their own hospitals will offer unique opportunities to learn from each other.

Tell us more about your topic and what attendees can expect from your track.
The aim of our track will be to combine the latest scientific developments with approaches applicable to daily practice and to do this together with global experts and clinicians working in the field. These sessions will create an environment where innovation meets practice. A multidisciplinary and comprehensive approach will be taken to address patient safety and quality improvement in OR and non-OR environments, disasters, and violence. The relationship between patient safety and sustainability will be explained, methods for improving safety in acute patient care will be conveyed, and advocacy for safety will be addressed. New data will be presented in line with the latest research on patient safety. Opportunities for patient safety education will be discussed, perioperative safety of modern antidiabetic drugs will be discussed, and safety issues and advantages of old and new drug applications will be discussed.

What inspired you to specialise in this field and contribute to WCA2026?
I believe that safe care is not only a professional responsibility but also an ethical obligation. Safety should come first. I believe that contributing to WCA2026 will inspire us all to come together and learn from colleagues who share this vision and achieve better results, leading us to safer anesthesia practices and environments.

How will your track contribute to the scientific excellence and global impact of WCA2026?
We are planning sessions that specifically support an inclusive discussion environment where all regions around the world can be represented. In this way, this track will not only highlight scientific excellence, but also make a strong contribution to WCA’s global collaboration and impact mission.

Tell us more about your topic and what attendees can expect from your track.
The professional Practice track is designed to address topics like professional well-being, mentorship, leading change in healthcare systems, medical ethics and ethical dilemmas, resource management etc. Attending the sessions in this track will also give a chance to the attendees to network with other professionals in the field and to gain knowledge on leadership frameworks, wellness programs, and much more. The two workshops in the track will offer further insight into mentorship and professionalism.

What inspired you to specialise in this field and contribute to WCA2026?
Gaps in professional standards impact both patient safety as well as well -being of anaesthesiologists. Patient Safety has always been my focus of interest.Being involved in designing this program with my track coachair Dr Susan Nicoll from New Zealand and the subcommittee comprising colleagues from diverse backgrounds has given me a chance to address some of these areas at a global forum provided by the World Federation of the Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA).

How will your track contribute to the scientific excellence and global impact of WCA2026?
Professional practice track will help in contributing to global health by focusing on topics like diversity equity and inclusion, health ethics, team communication, and leadership development which will help strengthen anaesthesia globally specially in low- and middle-income countries. It will support capacity building and will translate into safer and more equitable care.

Tell us more about your topic and what attendees can expect from your track.
The Sustainability track will highlight innovative approaches to reduce the environmental impact of anaesthesia without compromising safety or outcomes. Attendees can expect sessions on circular economy through innovative technologies, recommended solutions and guidelines to practical waste reduction measures delivered by impactful speakers. The realisation that anaesthesia, with its high-impact agents and single-use culture, is a clear opportunity for improvement has inspired me to take up this task in planning on behalf of the WFSA Sustainability Committee. I want to be part of a team that brings international leaders and like-minded individuals together from diverse cultures and resources to build a global connection and achieve lasting change. This isn’t just about environmental health—it’s about improving for our future generations. So, come join us and meet the team in our exciting track on Sustainability. See you in Morocco.

Tell us more about your topic and what attendees can expect from your track.
Carin Hagberg: “WCA 2026’s Airway Track brings together a powerhouse of global experts to explore the most pressing and innovative topics in airway management. Attendees can expect dynamic sessions on cutting-edge techniques like advanced oxygenation, awake videolaryngoscopy, and invasive rescue strategies, alongside hot-button discussions on AI-enhanced airway assessment and emerging international guidelines. Highlights include problem-based learning with world-renowned faculty, hands-on pre-congress workshops, and deeply practical insights into managing high-risk airways in complex settings—obesity, cancer, pediatrics, and critical illness. Whether you’re interested in the future of rapid sequence induction or mastering awake intubation, this track promises actionable knowledge, global perspectives, and expert-led skill building that will elevate your clinical practice.”

What inspired you to specialise in this field and contribute to WCA2026?
Sheila Myatra: “My inspiration to specialize in airway management stems from its pivotal role in patient safety and the constant demand for precision, preparedness, and innovation. Over the years, managing both expected and unexpected airway challenges has sharpened my appreciation for the integration of technical and non-technical skills. These experiences have underscored the importance of structured education and ongoing training in this critical domain. WCA2026 offers a powerful platform for anesthesiologists worldwide to exchange ideas, engage with leading experts, and elevate standards of care. Contributing to this global congress allows me not only to share my own experiences but also to learn from diverse perspectives and practices. It’s a unique opportunity to foster collaboration, build professional bridges, and advance the science and art of airway management. I’m honored to support WCA 2026 and contribute to a community so deeply committed to excellence, equity, and innovation in anesthesiology.”

How will your track contribute to the scientific excellence and global impact of WCA2026?
Carin Hagberg: “The Airway Track at WCA2026 will be a cornerstone of scientific excellence by delivering evidence-informed, forward-looking content from globally respected leaders in airway management. With faculty spanning five continents, the program ensures cross-cultural relevance, adaptability to resource-limited settings, and dissemination of best practices across diverse clinical environments. It addresses critical challenges—such as safe extubation, perioperative oxygenation, and management of the critically ill—through interactive learning, live demonstrations, and global guideline updates. Our focus on innovation, from simulation-based awake intubation to videolaryngoscopy optimization, equips practitioners with cutting-edge tools and knowledge. By uniting expertise, fostering dialogue, and promoting equitable care worldwide, the track not only elevates individual clinical skill but also reinforces WCA’s mission of advancing anesthesia practice through global collaboration and scientific rigor.”

Tell us more about your topic and what attendees can expect from your track.
Research methodology and publications are indispensable for disseminating best practices, innovation and excellence. Attendees will share in grasping innovations such as AI, networking, mentoring, goal-setting, and collaboration.

What inspired you to specialise in this field and contribute to WCA2026?
I am inspired by the vital importance of research methodology in advancing knowledge and publication in disseminating innovative research methods on a global scale.

How will your track contribute to the scientific excellence and global impact of WCA2026?
Promoting innovative approaches to research and publication will immensely enhance the role of WCA2025 as a global platform for scientific excellence.

Tell us more about your topic and what attendees can expect from your track.
The Pain Track is designed to cover the entire continuum of pain, from perioperative management to the prevention of chronicity, with a clear, practice-oriented focus. Attendees can expect cutting-edge updates on multimodal, opioid-sparing strategies, pearls of ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia, and the safe management of vulnerable populations such as children, older adults and cancer patients. Emerging therapies, including cannabinoids, and neuromodulation, will be addressed through interactive debates. Sessions will feature case-based discussions, and practical translations of guidelines into daily decisions. Above all, the track seeks to equip clinicians with knowledge they can apply immediately, uniting science with bedside reality.

What inspired you to specialise in this field and contribute to WCA2026?
My inspiration came from meeting patients whose lives were overshadowed by pain that remained untreated or poorly addressed. I soon realized that pain is never just a symptom; it is a barrier to dignity, function, and healing. Anesthesiology gave me the technical tools to intervene, but it was working alongside multidisciplinary teams that broadened my perspective on what comprehensive pain care truly means. Contributing to WCA2026 is an extension of this journey: a chance to exchange insights with peers worldwide and to build a shared future where unnecessary pain is no longer tolerated as inevitable.

How will your track contribute to the scientific excellence and global impact of WCA2026?
Excellence is achieved when scientific progress aligns with global relevance. The Pain Track will contribute by presenting not only the latest advances but also critical reflections on access, equity, and sustainability. By integrating high-quality evidence with the lived experiences of professionals from diverse regions, we aim to show how innovation can be adapted across different health systems. The track will emphasize bridges between prevention and treatment, pharmacology and interventional techniques, and high and low-resource settings. In this way, the Pain Track will reinforce WCA2026 as a congress that transforms knowledge into practice, policy, and above all, hope for patients worldwide.