Overview
EMCON 2026, the 28th National Conference of the Society for Emergency Medicine India, is scheduled for 30 October to 1 November 2026 at The Westin Mumbai Powai Lake. Organized by Dr Sandeep B. Gore, Director‑Emergency Medicine at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, and Chairman of EMCON 2026, the conference marks the return of the event to Mumbai after a 12‑year gap and is positioned as the largest international academic gathering for emergency medicine in the country.
Scale and Participation
The conference anticipates more than 2,000 delegates, supported by over 300 national faculty members and more than 50 international faculty members. This scale underlines its status as the biggest emergency‑medicine assembly in India to date. The official theme, “Innovation, Collaboration and Excellence in Emergency Medicine,” reflects a focus on advancing resuscitation science and system‑wide improvements.
International Keynote Speakers
Prominent global leaders will deliver keynote addresses, including:
- Dr Ian Higgins, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM);
- Dr L. Antony Cirillo, President of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP);
- Dr Pauline Convocar, President of the International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM);
- Dr Julina Md Noor, President of the World Interactive Network Focused on Critical Ultrasound (WINFOCUS).
Additionally, Padma Shri Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar, renowned for his work on scorpion envenomation, will present a keynote highlighting indigenous innovation.
Pre‑Conference Workshops
A total of 28 pre‑conference workshops will be conducted across various institutions and cities, covering hands‑on skills essential to modern emergency care. Topics include:
- Point‑of‑Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in Emergency Medicine;
- Crisis airway management;
- Mechanical ventilation in the ED;
- Toxicology;
- Advanced resuscitative simulation;
- Artificial intelligence applications;
- Maternal arrest resuscitation;
- Resuscitative thoracotomy;
- Clinical governance and high‑reliability emergency departments;
- Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) bootcamps;
- Frontline ER workshop for paramedics.
These workshops emphasize that emergency medicine proficiency requires practical, bedside training beyond traditional lecture formats.
Vision for Emergency Care in India
Dr Gore notes that emergency departments have evolved from mere transit points to clinical command centres where rapid physiological assessment, bedside diagnostics, and multidisciplinary coordination are critical. He stresses that modern resuscitation now begins with early recognition of deterioration, leveraging tools such as POCT and POCUS to guide physiology‑guided, patient‑specific interventions—a concept he terms Precision Emergency Resuscitation.
Ecosystem and Future Challenges
The conference also serves as a platform to discuss the broader emergency‑care ecosystem in India, urging the development of systems that deliver timely care across urban and rural settings. Dr Gore highlights the need for integrated teams, training, and technology, and poses strategic questions about safety, pre‑hospital strengthening, AI integration, and scaling advanced resuscitation nationwide.
Conclusion
EMCON 2026 aims to catalyse a paradigm shift in Indian emergency medicine by uniting over two thousand professionals, showcasing cutting‑edge technologies, and fostering global collaboration, thereby positioning India’s emergency‑care landscape for the next decade of growth and innovation.