WELCOME

The 4th Indigenous Cardiovascular Health Conference of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand will be held in Sydney, Australia from 17-19 June 2025.

CSANZ has convened meetings focused on CVD in Indigenous communities in 2009, 2011 and 2019, each of which produced important recommendations that if implemented, would guide improved Cardiovascular Health for the regions’ First peoples. In Australia, prior outcomes of these meetings have informed the establishment of National Programs and policy to reduce CVD inequity. 

The aims of the forthcoming Conference are to move beyond describing the inequalities that exist and explore the role of self-determination of Indigenous peoples in improving CV outcomes. 

Key targets will include:

• Defining the key steps required to achieve cardiovascular health equity, from the perspective of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Pacific peoples
• The integration of Indigenous knowledge systems into health care research and delivery
• Community driven heart health solutions and their impact 
• Achieving heart health across the life course, from the developmental origins of disease through to care and equity for our Elders 
• The challenges and opportunities of Indigenous and rural/remote health service 
• The importance of Indigenous peoples’ narratives to guide better policy, practice and research

The program will involve sessions to explore the key conference targets, with invited speakers, accepted abstracts and curated sessions exploring:

• Exemplars of successful policy in Indigenous CVD
• Approaches to novel systems and models of acute and long-term care, for and by Indigenous people
• Primary and secondary prevention
• Workforce development
• Community empowerment in leading change for better health
• Health system reform seeking better ways of working with and responding to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Pacific Islander peoples. 

We will deliver guidance for the next five years and beyond, to cement the positive inroads we have made, and envision what is needed to deliver equity for all Australian and New Zealanders in relation to CVD. These goals will only be achieved if there is a significant input from and participation by CSANZ members, health system stakeholders, Government Agencies, Departments of Health, Research Institutes, NGOs and industry partners.

The Conference seeks to involve 200 delegates from across Australia and New Zealand to chart the way forward for CSANZ in partnership with Indigenous communities and service providers. We invite those working in the Cardiovascular and Indigenous Health sectors, including: 

• Cardiologists / Medical Specialists 
• General Practitioners 
• Nurses, Allied Health and Public Health Workers
• Indigenous Health Practitioners 
• Registrars
• Government and Health Department Officials
• Policy Drivers
• Health Promotion Specialists
• Non-Government Representatives 

We look forward to sharing this unique event and welcoming you to Sydney in 2025.

Kind regards,

Prof Alex Brown, Co-Convenor and Dr Anna Rolleston, Co-Convenor