The conference was originally planned to be held in Kigali, Rwanda. In light of the evolving Ebola outbreak in the region, the organisers completed a review of alternative venues across Africa, Europe, and Asia. The review prioritised ease of participation for colleagues from Africa and other countries where visa access has historically been a barrier, together with cancellation risk, flight connectivity from all regions, and suitable meeting infrastructure.

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Kuala Lumpur offers visa-free entry or straightforward online eVisas for most participants, strong flight connectivity avoiding Middle East transit hubs, and world-class meeting infrastructure. Travel and accommodation support will be available to encourage broad participation from colleagues in low- and middle-income countries, with further details shared at registration. As the meeting will not be virtual, selected abstracts will require in person attendance.

We anticipate that visas to travel to Malaysia will be straightforward. Nonetheless, all conference delegates are responsible for ensuring they meet Malaysia's entry requirements before travelling. Participants are encouraged to confirm the requirements applicable to their nationality before making travel arrangements. Please note that conference organisers will provide a letter of conference registration confirmation to support visa applications.