The program for the combined International Diabetes Federation Western Pacific Region (IDF-WPR) Congress, Australasian Diabetes Congress, and Metabolic Diseases 2026 has been announced, showcasing a comprehensive agenda spanning research, clinical care, education, policy and lived experience.

Hosted by the Australian Diabetes Society (ADS) and the Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA) together with Diabetes Australia, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 18 to 21 August, the Congress will bring together leading experts from across Australia, the Western Pacific, and internationally.

Featuring an extensive international speaker line‑up, the Congress will explore the latest advances in diabetes and metabolic disease, including prevention, treatment innovation, technology, health systems and models of care.

Dedicated regional symposia and collaborative sessions will highlight shared challenges and opportunities across diverse health systems throughout Asia and the Western Pacific.

Focusing on evidence-based care, the Congress will examine regional challenges to diabetes, including integrated care models in a region with an alarming increase in diagnoses.

With many near-neighbour countries across the Pacific and Asia facing significant challenges in managing the diabetes burden that they are facing, implementing integrated care models can assist the health system to provide effective and efficient management of diabetes and its complications.

The Congress will also examine the latest developments in technology, including insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors, and the case for equitable and affordable access to insulin pumps for people with type 1 diabetes.

In research, a focus on diverse perspectives from Australian and international experts will discuss the latest in diabetes and wider metabolic disease advancement and consider how to address one of the most pressing health challenges facing the region.

Importantly, there will be a clear focus on lived experience, with a dedicated community day for people living with diabetes, and a Congress stream dedicated to focussing on lived experience, ensuring the perspectives of people living with diabetes are integrated alongside scientific, clinical and policy discussions.

The Congress will showcase the critical role of diabetes education in improving outcomes for people living with diabetes and their carers, friends, and family.

Credentialled Diabetes Educators (CDEs) and other health professionals working in diabetes education, research and care, play a key leadership role in helping people navigate increasingly complex treatment options, technologies and care pathways while empowering them to successfully self-manage their condition.

By bringing together leading experts, emerging research and lived experience, the Congress provides a unique opportunity for learning, collaboration and the exchange of ideas that can help shape the future of diabetes care across our region.

About 215 million adults are currently living with diabetes across the Western Pacific Region, with numbers projected to rise to 254 million by 2050. Building a skilled and sustainable diabetes workforce is essential to meeting this growing health challenge, and the Congress provides a valuable opportunity to share evidence, innovation and best practice from across the region.

Hosting the Congress in Melbourne reflects the strength of Australia’s health and medical research sector and the city’s position as a hub for international collaboration and innovation.

The event is being delivered in collaboration with the Melbourne Convention Bureau and with support from the Victorian Government’s Business Events and Tourism Australia’s Events Bid Fund Program.

The International Diabetes Federation Western Pacific Region Congress is a biennial event held in collaboration with diabetes societies from across eastern Asia and the Pacific.

Registration and full program details are available at diabetescongress2026.com

Melanie Gray Morris	Sof Andrikopoulos	Justine Cain
CEO, Australian Diabetes Educators Association	Group CEO, Australian Diabetes Society	Group CEO, Diabetes Australia