SIOP Africa President
Dear Participants,
As the President of SIOP Africa, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Johannesburg, South Africa for the 15th Biennial Congress of SIOP in Africa. I know that the Local Organising Committee, led by Prof Gita Naidu, will do a great job in hosting the congress in their city. The Scientific Committee, led by Prof Jennifer Geel, is creating a wide-ranging programme of exceptional speakers and symposium topics that will appeal to you all.
The SIOP Africa conference serves as a vital platform for the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and experiences in paediatric oncology. It brings together renowned experts, dedicated healthcare professionals, passionate researchers, and supportive caregivers from across the continent and beyond. Together, we share a common goal: to improve the lives of children affected by cancer in Africa. The theme, “Towards 2030”, references the ambitious WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer to raise the global survival rate above 60% by 2030. We firmly believe that by joining forces and breaking down barriers, we can create a brighter future for every child fighting cancer in Africa.
In addition to the scientific sessions, we have carefully crafted a diverse range of educational workshops, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities. These avenues will enable participants to enhance their skills, foster professional relationships, and exchange ideas that can shape the future of paediatric oncology in Africa.
I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors, partners, and supporters who have generously contributed to making this conference a reality. Your unwavering support is instrumental in our mission to provide the best possible care and support to children with cancer.
To all the delegates, I encourage you to actively participate, engage in dialogue, and share your expertise. Your presence and contributions will contribute to the success of this conference and, more importantly, impact the lives of children and families facing the challenges of paediatric cancer.
Once again, I extend my warmest welcome to the SIOP Africa 2024 conference. Let us seize this opportunity to unite, collaborate, and ignite a brighter future for children with cancer in Africa.
Congress Chair
We are delighted to welcome you to the SIOP Africa 2024 Congress, which will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 4-8 June 2024. This Congress is a unique opportunity for healthcare professionals, researchers, and advocates to come together and share knowledge and expertise in the field of paediatric and adolescent oncology.
The theme of the Congress is “Towards 2030”, which aligns with the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, which aims to increase the survival of children and adolescents with cancer globally to at least 60% by 2030 while reducing suffering and improving quality of life. The WHO-GICC is guided by CureAll, a strategic and practical approach that involves:
Centers of excellence and care with a sufficient and competent workforce to increase capacity to deliver services
Universal health coverage that ensures access to essential medicines, diagnostics, and technologies
Research and innovation that generate evidence-based solutions for local contexts
Empowerment of patients, families, and communities through education, awareness, and advocacy
We hope you will find the Congress programme stimulating, informative, and inspiring, and we encourage you to take advantage of the networking opportunities and social events that will help you to connect with colleagues from different countries and backgrounds.
In collaboration with our partner St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a hybrid format will be deployed to deliver the congress, though the main thrust will be the in-person platform as it will foster delivery on the unique needs of our membership.
Please visit our website for more information on the Congress programme, registration details, venue and accommodation, travel and visa requirements, and other important information. You can also follow us on social media for the latest updates and announcements.
Let us strive to achieve the WHO-GICC goal to improve diagnosis, therapy, quality of life, long-term follow-up and palliative care for children and adolescents with cancer.
No child should die of cancer: care for all, cure for more!
Chair of Scientific Committee
On behalf of Scientific Committee, I am delighted to welcome you to Johannesburg for the 15th biennial conference of SIOP Africa. Our team has worked tirelessly to bring you a programme that is relevant to your African experiences, incorporating local advances and the latest research from around the globe. Our committee consists of a diverse group of professionals, including nurses, physicians, and civil society members. It is our intention to ensure that this diversity is reflected in the programme we have designed.
We are aware of the financial barriers to attending a SIOP Africa congress and we are continuously working with our partners to increase our support for scholarships. Preference will be given to members from low and lower-middle-income countries who have an abstract accepted, so please indicate on your abstract submission that you wish to apply for a scholarship. Prizes will be awarded for the best poster and oral presentation, so we encourage you to apply the highest standards to your research outputs. We encourage you to join SIOP or renew your membership click here, so that you can benefit from the lower registration rates.
Leaders in the fields of neuro-oncology, ethics, implementation science, advocacy, access and fertility preservation are highlights of this conference. Building on the success of the popular preconference workshops of previous events, we have prioritised the learning opportunities these present and encourage you to look at the programme and book your workshop preferences early.
Once again, we will be delivering the conference in hybrid format, so please encourage those who are not able to participate in person to take advantage of the online platform. The SIOP Africa 2024 conference in Johannesburg is the ideal space to meet new people, share experiences and showcase your research. The debates will address topics relevant to all of us and we are confident that you will be inspired and empowered to improve services and research outputs in your own settings.
See you at the conference!
Bio
Dr. Guillermo Luis Chantada graduated from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina and completed his postgraduate training in Clinical Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology- Oncology at the Hospital JP Garrahan at Buenos Aires where he served for 31 years.
Bio
