Wellington, New Zealand, will host the Asian-Australasian Congress of Neurological Surgeons in 2028 with the objective of improving neurosurgery access in New Zealand and the Pacific.
The congress is expected to attract up to 1,000 delegates to Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre, and deliver more than NZ$3.4 million (US$2 million) in delegate spending to the city and beyond.
The conference bid was led by the Wellington members of Aotearoa Neurosurgeons New Zealand, with support from Business Events Wellington, and Tourism New Zealand Business Events.
New Zealand’s strong history in neurosurgery, and state-of-the-art venue Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre were important factors in winning the bid against competition from Perth and Singapore. New Zealand’s strategic funding support, and the potential for positive outcomes from hosting this event in Wellington were also instrumental in the decision.
Kelvin Woon and Agadha Wickremesekera, the two co-conveners of the conference, said: “… This event presents a valuable opportunity to share knowledge, foster collaboration, and address common challenges in the global neurosurgical community.”
Members of the organising committee added that the congress will showcase New Zealand’s neuroscience capability, and provide a platform to attract neurosurgeons and other health workers in the neurosciences to New Zealand.
New Zealand has 0.49 neurosurgeons per 100,000 population, compared to approximately one neurosurgeon per 100,000 people in countries such as the US or Australia.
Additionally, the congress will address the lack of neurosurgery services in the Pacific Islands and explore solutions to the region’s current infrastructure limitations.
