Introduction

The year 2025 is a big one for the MENA region. Although it is exciting to write about the milestones we’ve already achieved, it is even more important to recognize our current endeavors and further build on educational and research opportunities for future meetings. Overall, the MENA region boasts neurocritical care workshops and other educational resources as part of two major critical care conferences, along with further standalone workshops in the region. The region’s first critical care conference of the year was the 20^th International Pan Arab Critical Care Medicine Society conference, which took place in Kuwait on February 1-3, 2025, in parallel with the 6^th edition of the Neurocritical Care Regional Meeting in the Middle East and Africa Chapter of the Neurocritical Care Society. The second conference with a major neurocritical care presence will take place in Dubai from May 9-11, 2025 followed by a Brain Death Determination workshop in Cairo, Egypt.

The Sixth Regional Meeting in Kuwait

This flourishing conference was attended by 1564 delegates. Of the 99 speakers, 60% were international, 23% were regional, and 17% were local, representing 27 countries in total. There were also 14 pre-conference workshops and courses from January 30-31, which included ENLS version 6.0, a Traumatic Brain Injury workshop, and a 20-hour Neuro-Ultrasound Skills and Interpretations workshop that spanned both pre-conference days. These three neurocritical care workshops were attended by a total of 147 multidisciplinary healthcare providers.

The four neurocritical care sessions focused on: (1) guidelines, with topics including targeted temperature control, non-invasive ICP monitoring, and seizure prophylaxis following TBI, as well as SAH beyond 2023; (2) neurocritical care topics in women, with an emphasis on SAH, ICH, and cerebral and venous sinus thrombosis during pregnancy, and neurological complications of eclampsia; (3) neurological complications of critical care conditions including the management and prognosis of septic encephalitis, mechanical ventilation after brain injury, and coma outside the Neuro-ICU; and (4) hot topics in acute stroke, with a focus on blood pressure management, osmotic therapy, space occupying infarcts, and dysphagia after ischemic stroke. Accepted abstracts submitted to the Regional Meeting were simultaneously published online in Neurocritical Care.

Pre-Conference Workshops

Three workshops were conducted over two pre-conference days. ENLS version 6.0 was presented to a multidisciplinary audience of 68 participants (46% physicians, 44% nurses, and 10% healthcare workers in training). It was a pleasure to be one of the first 3 sites globally to teach version 6.0 on January 30, 2025.

The Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) workshop was conducted over a half-day and was attended by 53 multidisciplinary healthcare workers. This workshop focused on the critical care management of severe TBI, emphasizing basic concepts, practice updates, and advanced innovations in care. The workshop was led by an expert panel including physicians, pharmacists, and nurses. Attendees learned about TBI-related epidemiology, medical and surgical management, advanced neuromonitoring techniques, and neuro-recovery strategies.

The Neuro-Ultrasound Skills and Interpretations workshop was attended by 26 physicians and took place over two full days. Participants received a combination of didactic lectures on core principles for ultrasound insonation and hands-on training in the assessment of cerebral hemodynamics. The workshop offered 20 hours of continuing medical education credit qualifying towards certification in various North American and European certification tracks. With two more days of scheduled Neuro-Ultrasound teaching to come in the MENA region, a further 20 hours will be offered in Dubai on May 9 and 11, 2025.

Acknowledgements

It is with great pleasure that I acknowledge the societies and individuals who contributed to this meeting. First, the partnership between the International Pan Arab Critical Care Medicine Society (IPACCMS) and NCS remains strong, as evident by this sixth edition of the regional meeting in the MENA region. Reflecting our other ongoing partnerships, both the Indian Society of Neurocritical Care and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für NeuroIntensiv- und Notfallmedizin (DGNI) endorsed this meeting, in addition to a new partnership with the Latin American Brain Injury Consortium (LABIC) that was announced during the open chapter meeting on February 2, 2025.

I would like to thank and commend the voluntary efforts of all the following speakers and moderators of the neurocritical care sessions and workshops: Tamer Abdelhak, Yasser B. Abulhasan, Eiman Al-Hashemi, Ayham Alkhachroum, Abdullah Al Jadidi, Sana Alkhawaja, Ghusn Al Sideiri, Saud Alzaid, Mark Angle, Omar Ayoub, Ahmad Bayrlee, Jamil Dibu, Michael Diringer, Ryan Hakimi, Alya Hasan, Jennifer C. Munoz Pareja, Saef Izzy, Sarah Livesay, Aarti Sawal, Gene Sung, Fabio S. Taccone, Walter Videtta, Paul Vespa, Susan Yeager, Lucie Young, and Waleed Yousef.

Additionally, I would like to acknowledge Jennifer C. Munoz Pareja and Lucie Young for co-directing the ENLS course, Saef Izzy and Saud Alzaid for co-directing the TBI workshop, and Aarti Sawal for directing the Neuro-Ultrasound Skills and Interpretations workshop. A sincere thank you goes to Abdulrahman Al-Fares (conference chairman) and team, and Hussain Al Rahma (IPACCMS president) for their tireless efforts and support towards organizing the 6^th Regional Meeting with me.

Global Partnership Milestones

Since 2011, the NCC-MENA chapter of IPACCMS has been one of NCS’s foremost global partners, and NCS leadership has participated in the open annual NCC-MENA chapter meeting. Over the years, neurocritical care tracks and sessions have been strongly represented in major critical care conferences across the region. ENLS was first offered in 2016, then in 2018, 2019 (in-person), 2021 (hybrid), and 2022-2025 (in-person). In October 2018, NCS confirmed the first Mid-East/Africa member to represent the region on its Board of Directors. In April 2019, the 1^st NCC Middle East/Africa Regional Meeting was conducted in-person in Dubai, followed by the hybrid format 2^nd and 3^rd Regional Meetings during the pandemic, and the in-person 4^th, 5^th and 6^th Regional Meetings over the past three years—these were conducted in conjunction with the 15^th, 17^th, 18^th, 19^th and 20^th editions of the ECCC, UAE, and the 20^th IPACCMS conference in Kuwait, respectively. In 2023, the first NCS Brain Death Determination workshop with certification was conducted in the UAE. In 2025, the first Neuro-Ultrasound Skills and Interpretations workshop with a certification route was conducted in person in Kuwait.

Our Mission

Overall, neuroscience representation within critical care in our region is strong and continues to expand. The diligent planning and voluntary efforts of everyone who contributed over the years has resulted in the advancement of neurocritical care across the region, which has helped spread the global mission and vision of NCS.

The Emirates Critical Care Conference in Dubai and Brain Death Determination Workshop in Cairo

For now, save the date for May 9-11, 2025, when we look forward to welcoming you all in Dubai for the 21^st Emirates Critical Care Conference. This will be followed by an NCS-endorsed Brain Death Determination workshop in Cairo, Egypt on May 12. This will be the first time an in-person workshop will be conducted by NCS experts in Egypt and will lead to certification upon completion of all requisites. Further details will follow.

We hope to see you soon in Dubai and Cairo!