CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

Safe Surgery South Africa (SSSA), the Bophelo Unit for Equity, Intelligence and Learning, the African Perioperative Research Group (APORG), and the National Safe Surgery Technical Working Group invite researchers, clinicians, programme managers, policymakers, trainees and innovators to submit abstracts for presentation at the 2026 Data-Driven Surgery Conference.

Conference Themes

Early Career Researcher Forum

Submissions are invited from:

• Undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctoral research
• Postdoctoral and early-career investigator presentations
• Research in progress and completed studies

Data for Surgical Systems Strengthening

Submissions are invited on topics including:

• Surgical information systems
• Routine health information systems
• Surgical indicators and performance measurement
• Patient-reported outcomes
• Data visualisation and dashboards
• Artificial intelligence and advanced analytics
• Digital health innovations

Implementation, Quality Improvement and Learning Systems

Submissions are invited on topics including:

• Implementation science
• Quality improvement initiatives
• Timeliness of surgical care
• Theatre efficiency
• Audit and feedback
• Learning health systems
• Access to surgical care

Innovation and Demonstration Projects

Submissions are invited on topics including:

• Digital platforms and decision-support tools
• Clinical dashboards
• Electronic registries
• Mobile health applications
• Digital quality improvement tools
• Simulation and educational innovations
• Emerging technologies supporting surgical care

Abstract Requirements

• Maximum length: 300 words.
• Submissions are welcomed for research studies (completed or in progress), quality improvement initiatives, implementation projects, innovation and demonstration projects, and topic reviews.
• Topic reviews may include narrative reviews, scoping reviews, systematic reviews, or state-of-the-art reviews relevant to one or more of the conference themes.
• Abstracts should clearly describe the background, aims, methods or approach, key findings (or expected outputs for work in progress), and the implications for clinical practice, health systems, policy, education, or future research.
• Accepted abstracts will be allocated to either oral or poster presentations by the Scientific Committee according to scientific merit and alignment with the conference programme.

Presentation Format

Accepted abstracts will be allocated to: 

• Poster presentations
• Oral presentations
• Early Career Researcher Showcase
• Thematic conference sessions

Publication

Accepted abstracts and conference proceedings will be considered for inclusion in the official Data-Driven Surgery 2026 Conference Proceedings. Should you wish to opt out, please let us know at admin@safesurgery.co.za

Important Dates

Abstract submission opens: 10 July 2026

Abstract submission deadline: 30 September 2026

Notification of acceptance: 7 October 2026

Conference dates: 24 & 25 October 2026

Submission

Please submit abstracts to: admin@safesurgery.co.za

For enquiries: hyla.kluyts@smu.ac.za

We particularly encourage submissions from low- and middle-income countries, multidisciplinary teams, trainees, implementation practitioners and first-time presenters.

Together we can build learning surgical systems that improve access, quality and outcomes across Africa.