With 5044 in-person participants from 142 countries, the 18th World Congress of Anaesthesiologists reminded us of the importance of global collaboration in advancing the practice of anaesthesiology
WCA2024 brought together anaesthesia and perioperative care providers worldwide, offering a unique platform for advancing science, education, training, networking, and sharing experiences within the field.
Scientific Programme
Developed by internationally renowned experts, WCA2024 had 18 different scientific tracks on a variety of topics, driving conversations, deepening collaboration and sharing knowledge.
WCA2024 attendees who have registered for either in-person or virtual attendance have access to the recordings of the scientific sessions until 8 September, 2024. Closed captions are available in English, French, Mandarin, and Spanish.
The 1208 e-posters sessions are also available on catch-up, and the abstracts from these posters will also be available in a special Anesthesia & Analgesia journal supplement.
Register for a webinar on the key takeaways from WCA2024.
WCA2024 Award Winners
The congress was opened by the Singapore Minister of Health Ong Ye Kung during the WCA Welcome Reception. Three key awards were also presented in the Welcome Reception to seven leaders in the field of anaesthesia:
The Distinguished Service Award was bestowed on Hazel Mumphansha (Zambia), Gertrude Marun (Papua New Guinea), and Jannicke Mellin-Olsen (Norway).
These individuals were recognised for their outstanding contributions to the advancement of anaesthesiology, either through ground-breaking research, promoting and establishing anaesthesia initiatives globally, or for their distinguished service to the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA).
Eugene Tuyishime (Rwanda) was the recipient of the Rising Star Award. This accolade acknowledges the exceptional talent among the upcoming generation of anaesthesiology leaders worldwide. Tuyishime’s recognition signifies his exceptional promise and impactful contributions within his institution and beyond.
The WFSA-Fresenius Kabi Innovation Awards were presented to three innovators; Karen Nanji (USA), Pei Kee Poh (Singapore), and Alan Tung (Canada). These awards, developed with Fresenius Kabi, aim to foster innovation in anaesthesiology by providing recipients with mentorship, consultancy, and financial support to develop their pioneering ideas. Read more about the three Innovation Award winners.
Harold Griffith Lecture
Honouring WFSA’s first president, a pioneer in anaesthesia care, the Harold Griffith Lecture is the keynote lecture of the WCA.
In 2024, that honour was given to two internationally renowned anaesthesiologists, Jannicke Mellin-Olsen and Kevin Fong who delivered very different but equally complimentary lectures about approaches to improve patient care.
Drawing on her upbringing and her battle against cancer, Mellin-Olsen discussed how to improve patient safety and outcomes by adopting a more patient-centred perspective. Fong used his lecture to draw on his experiences of working with NASA and the aerospace industry to assess how we can better understand and mitigate risk in patient care.
WCA2024 Scholarship Programme
The scholarship programme for WCA2024 adopted a hybrid approach, accommodating both in-person and virtual participation.
Thanks to generous contributions from partners such as Smile Train, WCA2024 welcomed over 60 early-career anaesthesiologists from 37 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), spanning from Bhutan to Peru. 92 virtual scholars also attended online, gaining access to the 18 specialised scientific tracks and scientific sessions.
This is the greatest number of Scholars ever at a World Congress and helped make WCA2024 the most inclusive and diverse event in World Congress history.
WFSA General Assembly Elections
In the days prior to the congress, the 2024 WFSA General Assembly took place in Singapore, during which a new WFSA President, as well as Board and Council were elected by WFSA Member Societies.
Professor Daniela Filipescu (Romania) took over the presidential reins from Dr Wayne Morriss (WFSA President 2020-2024), and Dr Carolina Haylock-Loor was voted in as President-Elect. This is the first time both presidential positions will be held by two women at WFSA.
Lists of the 2024-2026 WFSA Board, Council and Committee members are available to view on the WFSA website.
Looking ahead to WCA2026
The 19th World Congress of Anaesthesiologists will be held in Marrakech in partnership with the Société Marocaine d’Anesthésie, d’Analgésie et de Réanimation (SMAAR).
