South NeoCon 2026 advances newborn care across south india

Thirteen hands-on workshops across Bengaluru, followed by a two-day scientific conference, brought neonatologists from across South India together at South NeoCon 2026 to strengthen skills and advance care for premature and critically ill newborns. The conference brought together neonatologists from the four southern states, along with neonatal nurses and healthcare professionals, for practical training, scientific exchange and discussions on the rapidly evolving field of neonatal intensive care.

The 13 workshops focused on areas including micropremie care, neonatal ventilation, neonatal sepsis and antibiotic stewardship, human milk banking, neonatal transport, neonatal seizures, nutrition and Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC). The programme was designed to give young neonatologists and nurses hands-on learning while helping experienced professionals update their clinical skills.

The two-day scientific programme explored emerging areas shaping the future of newborn care, including AI in neonatal sepsis, genomics in the NICU, tele-neonatology and remote monitoring. Key discussions included optimising the “Golden Hour” for extremely preterm infants, advances in non-invasive respiratory support, ROP screening, family-integrated care and the evolving management of neonatal conditions.

Adding a global perspective, the conference featured five international faculty members from the USA, Netherlands and Australia, who shared global evidence, clinical experience and emerging practices with Indian neonatologists.

Dr R. Kishore Kumar, Founder Chairman, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals and President, National Neonatology Forum, Karnataka Chapter said, “Neonatology is one of the youngest branches of medicine in India. When many of us trained in the late 1980s and early 1990s, specialised neonatal intensive care training was not available in the country, and doctors had to travel overseas to acquire these skills. India has come a long way since then. South NeoCon takes this journey forward by bringing the latest knowledge, technology and practical skills closer to the bedside. Many of the workshops use simulation-based training, an approach widely used in high-risk industries to minimise human error and improve safety. Applying the same principles to healthcare can help reduce preventable errors and make newborn care safer and more consistent. Hospitals across Bengaluru are conducting simulation workshops covering different aspects of neonatal care.”

He added, “The success of a conference is ultimately measured by what changes in practice after it. If a doctor is better equipped to manage a critically ill newborn, a nurse is more confident in caring for a premature baby, or a hospital adopts a better practice, then the learning has translated into impact.. That is what matters most—better care and better outcomes for newborns.”

While India has made progress in improving newborn survival, prematurity, infections and respiratory complications continue to make specialised neonatal care critical. South NeoCon 2026 placed the emphasis on practical learning, evidence-based care and collaboration, with the aim of translating advances in neonatology into stronger care at the bedside.

The conference concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen neonatal care across the region and ensure that every newborn, particularly the smallest and most vulnerable, has the best possible chance at a healthy start to life.