The Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, successfully organized the 22nd North Zone ISA Conference (NZ ISACON 2026) from 1st to 4th October 2026 in Chandigarh. 

The conference was held under the theme “ Gen X to Gen Z Alpha: Shaping the Future of Anaesthesia.” The four-day academic programme brought together more than 400 anaesthesiologists, nursing officers, technicians, trainees, police personnel and other healthcare professionals for an extensive programme of education, skill development, academic exchange and hands-on training. 

The conference was organized under the leadership of Dr. Kajal Jain, Organizing Chairperson and Head, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, PGIMER, Chandigarh, with Dr. Jeetinder Makkar, Professor, Department of Anaesthesia and
Intensive Care, serving as the Organizing Secretary. The programme commenced on 1 October 2026 with a series of pre-conference training workshops for nursing officers, technicians and police personnel, focusing on practical skills relevant to emergency response, resuscitation, patient safety and first response. 

This was followed by the two-day main scientific conference at the Lalit, Chandigarh, featuring expert lectures, panel discussions, interactive academic sessions, scientific presentations and discussions on contemporary and emerging developments in anaesthesia and critical care. One of the major highlights of the conference was the participation of a distinguished panel of nationally and internationally renowned faculty across the globe.

The conference also provided a platform for research, academic exchange and professional collaboration, with participation from healthcare professionals from across the North Zone. Young researchers and trainees were encouraged to showcase their scientific work through presentations and academic competitions. Five Focused masterclasses tailored for early-career physicians were also slated across the two-day schedule.

The conference featured presidential addresses by ISA National President Dr. Naveen Malhotra, along with the prestigious Dr. G.L. Kamra and Dr. Pritam Singh orations.The keynote address was delivered by Prof Manoj Kumar Karmakar from Hong Kong who is recognised worldwide for his pioneering research in regional anesthesia and is ranked in the 0.5% of scholars worldwide. 

Ms. Prerna Puri, IAS, Secretary Education, Chandigarh Administration, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest for the inaugural function and Prof. Dr. Ravneet Kaur, Director Principal, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, was the Guest of Honour. The inaugural ceremony was also attended by a distinguished member of the Punjab Medical Council (PMC), Dr Rupinder Bakshi who was present on the dais and extended her support to the academic initiative. In recognition of the high academic standards of the programme, the conference was awarded 16 credit hours by the PMC. 

The concluding day, 4 October 2026, featured an extensive programme of 10 hands-on workshops, conducted at various facilities within PGIMER and at other major healthcare institutions in the region, including Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh, AIMS Mohali and Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, New Chandigarh. The workshops covered a diverse range of contemporary topics including Immediate Trauma Life Support, Paediatric Anaesthesia, Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anaesthesia, Transthoracic Echocardiography and ECMO, Mechanical Ventilation, Research Methodology Boot Camp, Neuromonitoring, Excellence in Airway Management, Multimodal Approach to Chronic Pain, Simulation and Communication Skills. 

The successful completion of NZ ISACON 2026 marks another significant academic initiative by the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, PGIMER, Chandigarh, reaffirming its commitment to excellence in clinical care, education, research, innovation and patient safety.

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