World Congress on Rheumatic Heart Disease 2026 Programme Overview
11–14 November 2026 · Perth, Western Australia
All times shown are Australian Western Standard Time (AWST, UTC+8). Program is provisional and subject to change.
The World Congress on Rheumatic Heart Disease aims to create a dynamic platform that brings together the global RHD community, including policymakers, researchers, practitioners, people living with rheumatic heart disease, and advocates.
The Scientific Programme will feature a range of plenary, workshop, parallel and non-traditional sessions, addressing cutting-edge science and practical clinical considerations through a range of engaging formats.
Programme topics will include pathogenesis and vaccine development, clinical care, surgery, public health and policy change. In addition, several key themes will be prioritised across programme sessions, including practical implications of research, policy recommendations, and incorporation of lived experience.
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sessions featured in the program
Plenary Sessions
Plenary sessions bring together the entire rheumatic heart disease community around shared priorities and cross-cutting themes that shape the field as a whole.
These sessions provide a high-level forum for integrating diverse perspectives - including clinicians, researchers, implementers, policymakers, and people living with rheumatic heart disease - to foster shared understanding and collective direction.
By centering the patient voice and addressing issues that span disciplines and geographies, plenaries create alignment, spark collaboration, and set the tone for deeper, more focused discussions throughout the World Congress on Rheumatic Heart Disease.
Parallel Sessions
Parallel sessions provide opportunities for focused, in-depth exploration of specific topic areas and community priorities within the rheumatic heart disease field.
These sessions will support deeper conversations, detailed scientific updates, and targeted discussions among participants with shared interests or expertise.
By creating space for specialised dialogue, parallel sessions enable meaningful exchange, advance understanding in key areas, and strengthen connections within specific rheumatic heart disease communities.
Workshop Sessions
Workshop sessions are designed to be action-oriented and product-driven, with an explicit goal of advancing the rheumatic heart disease field.
These sessions emphasise collaborative learning through practical and interactive formats that bring participants together to co-create tools, frameworks, strategies, or recommendations that can be applied beyond the World Congress on Rheumatic Heart Disease.
By fostering active engagement across disciplines and contexts, workshops translate shared knowledge into tangible outputs, strengthen collaboration, and accelerate progress from ideas to implementation.
Non-Traditional Sessions
Non-traditional programming will complement formal sessions by creating flexible, informal spaces for connection, learning, and mentorship throughout the World Congress on Rheumatic Heart Disease.
They will feature high-impact, innovative activities - such as speed mentorship, early-career lunches, networking events, and fireside chats - that can be interspersed throughout the conference to encourage open dialogue, relationship-building, and real-time exchange across career stages and disciplines.
By lowering barriers to participation and fostering candid conversations, these sessions support professional growth, amplify diverse voices, and strengthen the rheumatic heart disease community in ways that are dynamic, accessible, and responsive to participants' needs.