Quality Care and Nourishment for the Preterm in Low-resource Settings
- November 10 - 12, 2026
- Medical Training & Simulation Center, University of Ghana Medical Centre, Accra, Ghana
Objectives
IPOKRaTES seminars provide high quality postgraduate education which enables professionals to keep abreast of the most recent developments and offer participants the opportunity to discuss clinical problems or scientific issues personally with international experts.
At the end of the conference workshop, participants should be able to:
• Implement evidence-based nutritional and neurodevelopmental interventions at the bedside to improve health outcomes for neonates in resource-limited NICU settings.
• Design and implement context-appropriate quality improvement projects to help preterm infants survive and thrive.
• Evaluate and engage in collaborative networks and data-driven systems, including the Vermont Oxford Network, to support sustainable improvements in neonatal care.
Faculty
- Josef Neu
University of Florida, Gainesville FL, USA - Roger Soll
University of Vermont, Vermont Oxford Network, USA - Nana Twum-Danso
International Expert in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, Chapel Hill, USA - Welma Lubbe
North-West University, South Africa - Rebecca Hoban
University of British Columbia, Canada
Program
TUE, November 10, 2026
Hybrid
07.45-08.50
Registration and Welcome
08.50-10.10
The Developing Gut: Mucosal Immunology, Multi-omics, and Antimicrobial Stewardship (Plenary)
Josef Neu
10.10-10.30
Cocoa Break
10.30-11.50
The Science and Long-term Effects of Brain-centred Care (Plenary)
Welma Lubbe
11.50-13.10
Foundations of Improvement Science (Plenary)
Nana Twum-Danso
13.10-14.00
Lunch Break
14.00-15.00
Milk as Medicine: Non-nutritional Uses of Human Milk (Plenary)
Rebecca Hoban
15.00-16.00
The Vermont Oxford Network and Collaborations with Africa (Plenary)
Roger Soll
16.00-16.30
Formation of Workshop Teams (In-person Participants):
Participants from the same Country or Hospital will be grouped in Teams at the end of Day 1. Each Team will develop a practical plan in at least one of the major subject areas of the conference by the end of Day 2 for presentation to Faculty on Day 3.
WED, November 11,2026
Morning session: workshop for in-person participants only
07.45-08.20
Registration and Recap of Day 1
08.30-10.30
In-Person Workshop: Neurodevelopmental Care - 1 (Breakout Room 1)
Welma Lubbe
08.30-10.30
In_Person Workshop: Quality Improvement in Neonatal care - 1 (Breakout Room 2)
Nana Twum-Danso
10.30-10.50
Cocoa Break
10.50-12.50
In-Person Workshop: Neurodevelopmental Care - 2 (Breakout Room 1)
Welma Lubbe
10.50-12.50
In-Person Workshop: Quality Improvement in Neonatal Care - 2 (Breakout Room 2)
Nana Twum-Danso
12.50-13.40
Lunch Break
Afternoon session: Hybrid Plenary
13.40-14.40
Benchmarking and Collaborative Models (Hybrid Plenary)
Roger Soll
14.40-16.00
Case-based Feeding Strategies, Human Milk Implementation Barriers, and Practical Microbiome-informed Care (Hybrid Session)
Josef Neu and Rebecca Hoban
16.00-17.00
Participant's teamwork (optional)
In-person participants
THU, November 12, 2026
In-person participants only
07.30-08.00
Registration and Recap of Day 2
08.00-10.30
Small-group deeper engagements with faculty (Rotating Groups)
Josef Neu, Nana Twum-Danso and Welma Lubbe
10.30-11.00
Cocoa Break
11.00-14.00
Post-conference NICU Project Plan Presentations
Participants teams and faculty
14.00-14.20
Closing Remarks an conference assessment
14.20
Lunch and end of conference
Subject to change
Free Seats
Information
The number of participants is limited to 150
Participation Fees
Attendance type
In-person
Attend at the University of Ghana Medical Centre, Accra
GHS 1100 or US$ 100 (doctors) - GHS 950 or US$ 90 (nurses)
Virtual
Join the available livestream sessions online
GHS 300 or US$ 30
Professional category
Doctor
In-person fee for registered medical doctors
GHS 1100 or US$ 100
Nurse
In-person fee for registered nurses and midwives
GHS 950 or US$ 90
Local Organizers
Christabel Enweronu-Laryea
Department of Child Health
University of Ghana Medical School and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital
Accra, Ghana
Email: Chikalaryea@gmail.com
Main Sponsors
