Dear Colleagues, Friends, and Members of the Pain Community,
On behalf of the PAINSA, it is with great pride and anticipation that we warmly invite you to the PAIN-SA National Congress 2026, to be held in Johannesburg from the 22nd to the 24th of May 2026. This milestone event will mark the 20th anniversary of PAINSA as the South African chapter of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).
As we reflect on the strides we have made, we celebrate how far we’ve come in South Africa in recognizing pain not merely as a symptom, but as a distinct disease entity. However, we also acknowledge how far we still need to go — to fully integrate this understanding across all levels of health care and society.
From humble beginnings, our Society has grown from strength to strength, with many clinicians actively engaging in educational initiatives, research activities, and public awareness campaigns. These have all aimed to foster a deeper understanding of pain science and to promote patient-centred care for those suffering from acute and chronic pain.
The 2026 Congress theme, "Equity in Pain – Ubuntu at the Indaba," invites us to explore two vital pillars:
- Equity for the Patient: Every person deserves equal access to pain treatment, information, and support. Equity in pain means justice — the right to relief, the right to understanding, and the right to dignity.
- Equity in the Interdisciplinary Team: The future of pain management lies in collaborative, interdisciplinary models of care. We must move beyond outdated hierarchies and embrace the shared value and contribution of every professional — whether physician, nurse, psychologist, physiotherapist, pharmacist, or community health worker.
Through the lens of Ubuntu — “I am because we are” — we hope to reconnect with the humanity of pain. Ubuntu calls us to see the person behind the diagnosis, to forge bonds of compassion, and to value the collective strength we hold when we come together as a community of care. Pain in 2026 should not remain a source of silent suffering — not when we have the tools, the science, and the solidarity to act.
We invite you to join us in Johannesburg, to learn, to teach, to collaborate, and to be inspired. Let us grow together as a pain community, build new alliances, and harmonise our voices — so that our patients, wherever they are, may hear us clearly and feel our commitment to changing their lived experience.
Let us take one more step in reducing the burden of disease that is chronic pain — by being there, together.
We look forward to welcoming you.
Warm regards,
Ruben Naidoo
PAIN-SA Congress Chair