During the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81), the ISN, in partnership with Devex, hosted the event “The Health System Stress Test: Integrated NCD Care for UHC.”

Watch a recording of the session

ISN President Marcello Tonelli, Guyana’s Minister of Health, Frank Anthony, and Pan American Health Organization Director Jarbas Barbosa were among the health, development, and finance leaders driving the discussion on how countries can move beyond single-disease approaches toward more sustainable models of noncommunicable disease (NCD) care, using kidney health as a test of health-system readiness.

The event also helped build momentum toward the 2027 UN High-level meeting on universal health coverage (UHC). The ISN continues to make the case that kidney disease must be part of the UHC conversation if we are to achieve the health-related UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The ISN-Devex event was supported by the ISN Strategic Partner Program.

The ISN was invited to provide feedback on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) draft Global Strategy on Donation and Transplantation, which aims to strengthen access to safe and equitable transplantation worldwide. ISN Advocacy Working Group members submitted a consolidated response to the WHO.

Read the ISN Advocacy Working Group feedback

Among its key recommendations, the ISN called for clearer measures to track progress, stronger action to address financial and geographic barriers to transplantation, and greater emphasis on lifelong post-transplant care, workforce development, and international learning between health systems.

The final version is expected to be presented for adoption at the 80th World Health Assembly in 2027.

Ahead of the Third International Dialogue on Sustainable Financing for NCDs and Mental Health in February 2027, the ISN developed a new position paper on financing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and the importance of including kidney health in these discussions. and the importance of including kidney health in these discussions. and the importance of including kidney health in these discussions. and the importance of including kidney health in these discussions.

Read the ISN position paper “Why financing kidney health matters”

The ISN paper sets out recommendations for governments and the WHO on what to finance, how to fund care, how to improve access to essential medicines and diagnostics, and how to strengthen the health workforce.

The Third International Dialogue will help inform decision-makers involved in shaping the 2027 UN High-level meeting on universal health coverage (UHC) and its political declaration. The ISN will use this opportunity to make a clear case: Kidney health must be part of the financing and UHC conversation if countries are to deliver effective and sustainable NCD care.

The 2027 Professor Donal O’Donoghue Global Kidney Policy Forum (PDGKPF) will mark its 10th  year alongside the Global Kidney Health Atlas (GKHA) at the World Congress of Nephrology 2027 in April.

A dedicated fireside discussion will explore the latest GKHA findings and what they reveal about the main barriers to better kidney care across Oceania and South East Asia. Country case studies will offer practical examples of what is working, where gaps remain, and what lessons can support national decision-making.

With the WHO kidney health resolution providing a new global framework, the PDGKPF will focus on turning evidence and experience into stronger policies and faster action across the region.

Earlier this year, The Lancet published “Implementing the commitments of the World Health Assembly kidney health resolution: a key opportunity to improve health for millions” led by ISN President Marcello Tonelli and other international experts.

The paper turns the resolution into a practical roadmap, setting out five steps countries can take to move from commitment to implementation. To make the framework easy to use and share, the ISN has produced a one-page guide summarizing the key actions.

Download and share the one-pager  

The message is straightforward: start where you are and build kidney health into existing health systems rather than creating parallel structures.

On September 14, World Kidney Day (WKD) launched its 2027 campaign, “Kidneys, heart, and metabolism: the core of your health.” The campaign highlights the close connection between kidney, cardiovascular, and metabolic health, and the importance of caring for these interconnected systems as part of overall health.

This year, WKD invites everyone to see the world a little differently with the brand-new “Kidney Shape Challenge.” The idea is simple: look at the world through a kidney-shaped lens. Find, create, or capture something that looks like a kidney in art, nature, food, everyday objects, or anywhere your imagination takes you. Share your discovery or creation on social media, tag World Kidney Day, and use #WorldKidneyDay and #KidneyHealthMatters. The most original idea will receive a special award!

WKD is also launching designed to support kidney health action in low- and middle-income countries. Three grants of USD 800 each will help turn local ideas into WKD activities that raise awareness, engage communities, and bring the 2027 campaign to life.

Start planning your WKD activities for 2027! The activities guide will be released soon with ideas and practical tips. In the meantime, take inspiration from winning activities from previous years, then pin your activity on the WKD map to showcase your plans and inspire others.

The ISN is honored to be part of the WHO World Patient Safety Day 2026 Steering Committee, supporting this year’s global campaign, which focuses on safe care for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and closely aligns with the ISN’s commitment to improving kidney health and patient care.

The 2026 campaign “Safe care for life!” highlights that people living with NCDs often require lifelong care across multiple settings, making them particularly vulnerable to patient safety risks.

The ISN collaborated with members of its Patient Liaison Advisory Group (PLAG) on a social media campaign amplifying patient voices. Members shared what they wish they had known before diagnosis and lessons learned from their kidney health journeys, highlighting the importance of shared decision-making and safe person-centered care.

Discover the ISN social media campaign @isnkidneycare.

How can decision-makers and kidney health stakeholders work together to reduce the burden of kidney disease and improve prevention and care?

This question is at the heart of the Professor Donal O’Donoghue Global Kidney Policy Forum (PDOGKPF), which brings together regional and global experts to exchange evidence, share strategies, and support practical action in specific countries or regions.

Explore the official PDOGKPF 2026 pamphlet

The 2026 forum, “Bridging Policy and Practice for Kidney Health in North and East Asia,” took place on March 28 in conjunction with World Congress of Nephrology in Yokohama, Japan. Attended by nearly 300 participants, the meeting focused on regional dialogue and best-practice sharing to support implementation of the WHO kidney health resolution adopted in May 2025.

Access a recording of the event

Discussions explored how policy can be translated into practical improvements in kidney care across North and East Asia. The first panel, moderated by Ifeoma Ulasi, Advocacy Working Group chair, examined Japan’s integrated care approach as a model for making specialist knowledge more accessible in primary care. The second panel, moderated by Muhammad Iqbal Abdul Hafidz, deputy chair of the Advocacy Working Group, explored data-driven strategies and regional challenges, drawing lessons from diverse health systems across the region.

Both panels welcomed people with lived experience of kidney disease. Takeshi Shukunobe (Japan) and ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group Chair Manvir Victor (Malaysia), shared powerful perspectives on access to kidney care in the region and highlighted the importance of patient-centred approaches in policy and practice.

The ISN thanks all speakers, participants, and partners for their contribution to the success of this year’s forum.

What advocacy skills are needed to help turn global kidney health commitments into stronger kidney care?

At an ISN advocacy workshop, held during WCN’ 26 in Yokohama, members of the ISN Young Nephrologists Committee and Emerging Leaders Program  explored practical ways to assess national kidney care needs, identify service gaps, and develop targeted advocacy strategies to support the implementation of the 2025 World Health Organization kidney health resolution.

Designed to strengthen participants’ role as advocates,  attendees used tools such as the ISN Global Kidney Health Atlas and the SMART advocacy framework to conduct situational assessments and map concrete actions to advance kidney health in selected countries, including Senegal, India, Mexico, and Spain.

Reports summarizing the draft strategies developed by each group will be available shortly.

Kidney health is increasingly being recognized as a measure of whether health systems can deliver comprehensive, equitable, and affordable care. This message was central to “Kidney Health for All: Delivering Comprehensive Care From Prevention to Treatment,” an event hosted by the ISN in collaboration with Devex during the World Health Assembly in Geneva on May 20, 2026.

Access a recording of the event

Global leaders explored how integrating the full continuum of kidney care, from primary-level prevention to sustainable care models, can strengthen health systems and support progress toward universal health coverage (UHC). They emphasized that kidney care must be both essential and affordable within national health systems.

The discussion also considered how countries can translate recent global commitments, including the WHO kidney health resolution and the UN political declaration on NCDs and mental health, into practical national action.

Speakers included ISN President Marcello Tonelli, WONCA President Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, EMEA Vantive President Magnus Lindholm, Smeeta Sinha from Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, Stephen Mutiso from the Kenya Ministry of Health, and Philippos Pashalidis from Novartis.

This event was hosted with the support of ISN strategic partners Novartis, Vantive, and Boehringer Ingelheim.

For the first time, the ISN partnered on an official WHO side event, “Gestational Diabetes and Beyond: Strengthening Primary Care for Integrated Reno-Metabolic Health Across the Life Course,” held during the 79th World Health Assembly.

The event centered on gestational diabetes (GDM) as an early indicator of future cardio-renal risk. Discussions highlighted that the health impact of GDM extends far beyond delivery, increasing the risk of chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular complications for both mothers and offspring later in life.

The ISN and its partners called for stronger primary care, integrated metabolic, cardiovascular, and kidney health services, and better continuity of patient care across medical specialties.

The event was co-hosted by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Diabetes Foundation, with official support from the Governments of Guatemala, Kenya, and Tanzania, as well as the United Nations Population Fund and the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

A new paper published in The Lancet provides a practical roadmap to help countries implement the WHO kidney health resolution and strengthen prevention, early detection, and access to kidney care worldwide.

Read the paper: “Implementing the commitments of the World Health Assembly kidney health resolution: a key opportunity to improve health for millions”

“Implementing the commitments of the World Health Assembly kidney health resolution: a key opportunity to improve health for millions,” outlines concrete steps countries can take to translate global commitments into national action as the burden of kidney disease continues to rise.

The authors propose a phased and integrated approach, starting with national governance mechanisms, focal points, and situational assessments to identify gaps and priorities. The paper also highlights the importance of embedding kidney care within primary health care, NCD strategies, and universal health coverage rather than creating stand-alone systems.

ISN President Marcello Tonelli described the paper as a critical next step following the adoption of the WHO kidney health resolution. “Resolutions alone do not save lives,” he said. “Meaningful progress will depend on how Member States implement these commitments within their own health systems.”

The publication comes at a crucial time as countries begin turning the WHO kidney health resolution into policies and programs that can help improve outcomes for millions of people worldwide.

Play your part in turning the WHO kidney health resolution into action by downloading ISN’s one-page advocacy tool for engaging government and health system stakeholders.

A major step forward for kidney health: the World Health Organization has launched a dedicated kidney disease webpage, marking a clear shift in how kidney disease is being recognized within the global health agenda.

Explore the new webpage

This addition to the WHO website is a strong signal that kidney disease is now firmly positioned alongside other major noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), with the visibility and attention it has long required.

This milestone builds on important progress achieved over the past year, including the adoption of the WHO kidney health resolution and the UN political declaration on NCDs and mental health. These global commitments have reinforced the urgency of addressing kidney disease as a major contributor to illness and premature death worldwide. They also highlight kidney health as an essential part of efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.4, which aims to reduce premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases.

The new WHO webpage serves as a central reference point for policymakers, health professionals, and advocates. It strengthens awareness, supports integrated approaches to prevention and care, and helps translate global commitments into practical action at national levels.

The ISN and the WHO have renewed their official collaboration through a new three-year collaboration plan for 2027–2029, reinforcing a longstanding partnership to advance kidney health within the global public health agenda.

Building on the 2024–2026 WHO–ISN Collaboration Plan, the agreement continues the ISN’s formal engagement with the WHO as a non-State actor in official relations, enabling the ISN to contribute technical expertise to WHO-led activities and participate in the annual World Health Assembly in Geneva.

The new plan will help strengthen kidney health within the global health agenda, supporting efforts to turn recent WHO and UN commitments into practical action at national levels.

It focuses on two strategic areas designed to reduce the global burden of kidney disease:

• Health determinants: Generating global evidence on kidney disease burden and risk factors to inform the WHO’s multisectoral noncommunicable disease (NCD) action.
• Universal health coverage (UHC): Strengthening primary health care systems to ensure kidney care is an essential component of national health services.

The agreement highlights the growing recognition of kidney disease as an urgent health priority, reinforcing the need for coordinated international action to improve prevention, early diagnosis, and kidney care worldwide.

More than 432 million people were reached on social media, 3,500 activities were organized across 91 countries, and over 97 landmarks were illuminated in 13 countries as World Kidney Day (WKD) marked its 20th anniversary on March 12.

Explore the WKD 2026 Impact Report

The 2026 campaign, “Kidney health for all: caring for people, protecting the planet,” brought the global community together to raise awareness of kidney health and its links to environmental factors such as air pollution, heat exposure, and dehydration. The theme also highlighted the environmental impact of kidney care itself.

Other key results included a growing community of 165,000 followers, 4.3 million impressions, and  429,000 downloads of campaign materials.

If you organized a WKD activity, upload your photos to the gallery and share your country report on your personal profile to help showcase the global impact of the campaign.

World Kidney Day is a year-long initiative. Keep raising awareness, join the global WKD community, and help make kidney health a priority for all.

How can the UN political declaration commitments translate into real change for people living with circulatory conditions?

The 2025 United Nations political declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) sets out renewed global commitments to tackle premature deaths from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and other NCDs.

Kidney disease is both a consequence and a driver of circulatory diseases, sharing risk factors, pathways, and health system solutions.

Unpack what the declaration actually means 

On February 24 at 3 p.m., join the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health Webinar: Translating the 2025 UN political declaration commitments into action for circulatory health to explore what must happen at national levels for the declaration to translate into better health outcomes for your patients.

The webinar offers a global perspective for everyone working with noncommunicable diseases, featuring voices from government, global institutions, and patient organizations — including ISN President Marcello Tonelli, the presidents of the International Diabetes Federation, the World Heart Federation, and the International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations, as well as the Ministers of Health from Kenya and Barbados.

Learn more and register for the webinar 

What does it take to move from policy commitments to real improvements in kidney care, and how can those lessons be applied across regions?

On March 28, 2026*, the Professor Donal O’Donoghue Global Kidney Policy Forum (PDOGKPF) will bring together policymakers, clinical leaders, and advocates to explore practical ways to strengthen kidney care systems in the ISN North and East Asia region, focusing on approaches that translate into measurable progress for patients.

Held at the WCN’26 in Yokohama, the 8th PDOGKPF comes at a critical moment. Following the adoption of the WHO kidney health resolution in May 2025, countries may now focus on how to implement commitments to improve access to prevention, early detection, treatment, and kidney transplant care. This session will highlight strategies that can inform action not only in the region but in health systems worldwide.

Guided by the theme “Bridging Policy and Practice for Kidney Health in North and East Asia,” participants will examine real-world policy experiences, discuss scalable kidney models, and share lessons that advocates, clinicians, and health leaders can adapt to their own contexts.

WCN’26 registered delegates may enter and join the forum using their congress badge. Non-delegates may register using this form, with places available on a first-come, first-served basis.

*The GKPF takes place from 11-1 p.m. JST.

Kidney health still receives far less attention than it deserves. Changing that requires visible, coordinated action that reaches communities, decision-makers, and health systems alike.

World Kidney Day (WKD) is designed to do exactly that. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, WKD offers a powerful global platform for clinicians, researchers, advocates, patients, caregivers, and community leaders to raise awareness and push kidney health higher on national and global agendas. Every action, whether large or small, helps spark conversation, inform policy, and improve lives.

The year-long campaign builds toward a worldwide day of activities on March 12. This year’s theme, “Kidney health for all: Caring for People, protecting the planet,” highlights the close links between kidney health and environmental factors such as air pollution, heat exposure, and dehydration, while also drawing attention to the environmental footprint of kidney care itself.

Ways to get involved

• Organise a local WKD activity: Plan an event in your community and add it to the interactive map to inspire action worldwide
• Use the Activities Guide: Get practical step-by-step support to plan and run a successful WKD event.
• Share your story on the WKD blog: Add your voice to the WKD blog and help humanize kidney disease through lived and professional experience
• Amplify the campaign on social media: Use the 2026 Social Media Toolkit and join the #OurKidneysOurPlanet challenge to raise awareness
• Join the WKD 2026 webinar:Take part in the global discussion at 2 p.m. CET on March 4 with live subtitles in 50+ languages
• Download and share campaign resources: Use the 8 Golden Rules flyer and bookmarks in clinics, classrooms, and community settings

Every action counts! Join the movement and help make kidney health a global priority in 2026 and beyond.

Universal health coverage cannot be fully realized while millions of people lack access to affordable kidney care.

During the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79) in May 2026, the ISN will convene a high-level side event focused on one of the most pressing gaps in UHC: Ensuring access to the full continuum of kidney care, from prevention and early detection to treatment and kidney replacement therapy.

The event will build on growing global momentum: Recent milestones, including the WHO kidney health resolution and the 2025 UN political declaration on noncommunicable diseases and mental health, have placed kidney disease firmly on the global health agenda. The question now is how these countries turn commitments into concrete policy and financial decisions. Participants will gain policy-relevant insights that can inform national planning, advocacy strategies, and health system reform.

In the build-up to the 2027 UN High-Level Meeting on UHC, this side event will highlight why investing in kidney health is essential to achieving SDG Target 3.8 and to developing resilient, equitable, and financially sustainable health systems that leave no one behind.

The side event will take place on Wednesday, May 20, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., in Geneva, Switzerland. Further details, including the agenda and registration link, will be shared soon.

Strong kidney health policies are more effective when they reflect the realities of people living with kidney disease. The ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group (PLAG) helps ensure that patient experience directly informs advocacy, awareness campaigns, and global health dialogue.

At the ISN XSpace event marking  World Diabetes Day, PLAG Chair Manvir Victor shared patient perspectives on diabetes and its impact on kidney health, highlighting why prevention and care strategies must be designed around patient needs.

During Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day, PLAG member Vasundhara Raghavan contributed to an ISN XSpace discussion on equity and access, emphasizing how health systems can be designed and evaluated with patient needs and lived experience at the center.

The group’s role continues to evolve, and its commitment to amplifying the patient voice within ISN activities and global kidney health initiatives remains steadfast, with a refreshed visual element introduced to support this work.

Kidney health progress does not happen by accident; it is driven by thousands of volunteers worldwide who give their time, expertise, and leadership to advance care, shape policy, and amplify patient voices.

On December 5, the ISN marked International Volunteer Day, celebrating the members whose commitment powers the society’s work across regions and disciplines. From strengthening education and care delivery to advancing advocacy and policy change, ISN volunteers help drive the society’s mission forward, translating shared goals into sustained action for kidney care worldwide.

Their collective efforts have helped elevate kidney health on the global agenda, including contributing to landmark policy achievements such as the WHO kidney health resolution and the inclusion of kidney health in the UN political declaration on noncommunicable diseases and mental health.

Reflecting on this momentum, Advocacy Working Group Chair Ifeoma Ulasi noted:

“This year marks a historic milestone for kidney health advocacy. Through collective volunteer action, we have helped secure global commitments, and now our task is to turn these into real, integrated, and equitable kidney care.”

The ISN thanks all its volunteers for their dedication, leadership, and continued commitment to improving kidney health for all.

The ISN and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, formalizing a long-term collaboration to strengthen global action on diabetes-related kidney disease.

Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease, and together these conditions affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Recognizing their shared risk factors and growing global burden, the ISN and the IDF will work more closely across advocacy, education, scientific exchange, and public awareness to strengthen prevention, early detection, and care. This agreement marks an important step toward coordinated action on closely linked conditions, reflecting a shared commitment to reduce disease progression and premature mortality worldwide.

ISN President Marcello Tonelli stated: “Diabetes-related kidney disease is a major and growing global health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. We are delighted with this agreement, which strengthens our ongoing partnership with the IDF and will help the ISN to achieve its mission of ensuring that everyone, everywhere has equitable access to kidney health.”

As part of the agreement, the ISN and the IDF will collaborate on coordinated engagement for World Kidney Day and World Diabetes Day. The organizations also plan joint webinars, training initiatives, and scientific sessions at major congresses and global health events.

IDF President Peter Schwarz commented, “Diabetes is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease, yet this complication is too often detected late. By strengthening our collaboration with the ISN, we can help elevate kidney health within the global diabetes agenda and support more integrated approaches to care to improve the lives of people with diabetes.”

Through this partnership, the ISN and the IDF aim to strengthen global awareness of the link between diabetes and kidney disease, working together to improve outcomes for people worldwide.

During the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) in May 2025, Member States adopted the first-ever WHO resolution on kidney health, elevating kidney disease on the global health agenda. Led by the Guatemalan government, this milestone reflects years of advocacy efforts from nephrology societies, healthcare professionals, patient organizations, and civil society, highlighting the growing global burden of kidney disease.

This progress is further reinforced by kidney health being referenced three times in the UN political declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) — a powerful recognition of its significance within the NCD agenda. Expected to be adopted by the UN General Assembly before the end of 2025, the declaration reaffirms government commitments to reducing premature deaths from NCDs, including kidney disease.

Building on this momentum, the ISN is launching an implementation strategy to advance the WHO kidney health resolution by helping governments integrate kidney health into national NCD plans. This initiative aligns with the  ISN Manifesto and will focus on:

• Country consultations and readiness assessments to identify local priorities and opportunities
• Partnerships and knowledge sharing
• Capacity-building programs to empower national kidney health advocacy efforts

On the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in September, the ISN, in partnership with Devex, hosted Kidney Health Can’t Wait: Turning Commitments Into Action, a high-level event focused on advancing kidney health within the global noncommunicable disease (NCD) agenda.

Watch a recording of the session here

The event, held two days ahead of the Fourth UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs, brought together policymakers, researchers, and patient advocates to discuss how to translate recent global commitments on kidney health into concrete national action.

Speakers included ISN President Marcello Tonelli, Head of Secretariat at the UNIATF Nick Banatvala, ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group member Richard Knight, and other decision-makers from civil society and industry.

This ISN–Devex event was supported by ISN Strategic Partners.

In February 2026, the World Heart Federation (WHF), the ISN, and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) will host a joint webinar, “Translating the 2025 political declaration commitments into action for circulatory health.”

The session will unpack the UN political declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), clarifying its implications for circulatory health and exploring how it can inspire policymakers and local stakeholders to strengthen prevention, early detection, and integrated care of NCDs at regional, national, and community levels.

Hosted by the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health, the webinar aims to sustain momentum beyond the UN High-Level Meeting and accelerate progress toward better health outcomes for all. Participants include experts, government representatives, and people living with circulatory conditions to discuss integrated primary care, accountability, and equitable access — key steps toward stronger circulatory health systems. Participants include experts, government representatives, and people living with circulatory conditions to discuss integrated primary care, accountability, and equitable access — key steps toward stronger circulatory health systems.key steps toward stronger circulatory health systems.

The Professor Donal O’Donoghue Global Kidney Policy Forum (GKPF) will be held on March 28, 2026, in Japan, as part of the World Congress of Nephrology 2026.

Themed “Bridging Policy and Practice for Kidney Health in North and East Asia,” the forum will foster dialogue and collaboration toward exploring how countries in the region can translate global commitments from the World Health Organization’s 2025 kidney health resolution into national action.

Two panel sessions will highlight best practices and regional strategies:

• “Japan’s CKD Strategy in Action” — showcasing Japan’s approach to managing chronic kidney disease within an aging society
• “Advancing Kidney Health Across North and East Asia” — focusing on integrating kidney care into national health plans and leveraging data to drive better outcomes

The GKPF has been held annually at the World Congress of Nephrology since 2017. This high-level meeting brings together key decision-makers and stakeholders to address the burden of kidney diseases in specific countries or regions. Experts share strategies aligned with the 10 Recommendations for Global Kidney Health to prevent kidney disease and improve its management, both regionally and globally.

At the upcoming World Congress of Nephrology 2026 (WCN’26), the ISN will host the workshop “Commitment to Impact: Kidney Health Advocacy in Action.”

The session is designed to help participants develop and enhance their advocacy skills and build compelling strategies to promote kidney health, aligned with the WHO kidney health resolution commitments.

Participants will explore advocacy frameworks using evidence-based materials such as the ISN Global Kidney Health Atlas (GKHA) to identify local challenges and opportunities to strengthen engagement with policymakers and integrate kidney care into national public health agendas.

The workshop is coordinated by the Advocacy Working Group in collaboration with members of the Emerging Leaders Program and the Young Nephrologists Committee.

The annual World Kidney Day (WKD) campaign for 2026 launched on September 15, 2025, and will culminate in a global day of activities on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

This year’s campaign promotes “Kidney health for all: Caring for people, protecting the planet.” It highlights the link between kidney care and environmental sustainability, calling for action — from reducing the environmental impact of dialysis to addressing the climate-related risks to kidney health — while maintaining the needs of people living with kidney disease at its heart.

The 2026 campaign comes at a historic moment: In May 2025, the World Health Assembly adopted the WHO kidney health resolution, which officially recognizes World Kidney Day as a global public health day. This milestone demonstrates how sustained advocacy can drive real change and raise the profile of kidney care within the global health agenda.

Get involved!

• Explore WKD campaign materials
• Pin your activities on the interactive map
• Write a blog article
• Submit local and regional news to the WKD newsletter

Share your efforts on social media using #WorldKidneyDay, #KidneyHealthForAll, and #OurKidneysOurPlanet. Tag @WorldKidneyDay for a chance to be featured on official WKD channels!

Find out more about the 2026 campaign here.

“It costs less than a cup of coffee to diagnose a patient with kidney disease.”
— María José Soler

On April 7, World Health Day, the ISN Advocacy Working Group and the Social Media Committee collaborated to host an ISN X Space discussion on the WHO kidney health resolution.

Experts Urmila Anandh, Elliot Tannor, and María José Soler led an engaging conversation on how the resolution, led by Guatemala, has the potential to transform global kidney health — positioning it as a powerful tool for driving improved health outcomes and advancing equity worldwide. Key elements of the resolution are:

• Primary care and early detection: Emphasizing the importance of identifying and managing risk factors early to prevent disease progression and reduce healthcare costs
• Access to kidney care: Highlighting how the resolution can help close gaps in kidney care, particularly in low-resource settings
• Global advocacy and support: Demonstrating how co-sponsors like Spain are driving international support and inspiring broader commitment

The X Space conversation highlighted the resolution’s potential to drive meaningful change, placing kidney health as a global public health priority. Listen to the full discussion.

Building on the 2024 joint ASN-ERA-ISN consensus statement highlighting the global burden of kidney disease and providing key recommendations for policymakers, efforts are now focused on translating these insights into action ahead of the 2025 UN High-level Meeting on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in September.

As a next step, Nature Reviews Nephrology will host a high-level webinar, “Kidney disease in the public health agenda,” on April 28 (from 3 to 4 p.m. CEST). The webinar is part of the Springer Nature SDG Talk series, dedicated to connecting research and policy to drive real-world impact.

Please join us for this critical opportunity to elevate kidney disease within the global health agenda and ensure it is recognized as a priority in NCD prevention and management.

Register for the webinar

A historic milestone was reached at the 156th WHO Executive Board Meeting in February 2025 with the decision to include the WHO kidney health resolution for a potential vote during the 78th World Health Assembly (May 19-27, 2025).

The resolution, led by Guatemala and backed by multiple member states, calls for:

• Greater recognition of kidney disease as a public health priority
• Early detection and equitable access to treatment
• Stronger health systems to support patients globally

What can you do?

The ISN calls on the kidney health community to use the advocacy communication materials to amplify the message and encourage support for the resolution. These include:

• An open letter calling UN Member States to vote in favor of the WHO resolution on kidney health
• A one-pager summarizing key information about the resolution
• A draft email template
• Social media materials: Including pre-written posts and a banner
• A poster linking to the ISN Global Petition

Access all the ISN advocacy communication materials

In collaboration with Devex, the ISN is hosting the event, “Kidney Health Matters: A Policy Imperative for Economic Resilience,” on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. (CEST) in Geneva.

Find out more and register

Global leaders will discuss the economic and public health impact of kidney disease at the event, further driving support for the WHO kidney health resolution.

The event will feature high-level keynote speakers representing the WHO, alongside healthcare providers, patient advocates, industry representatives, and delegates from Ministries of Health in countries such as Guatemala, Thailand, Somalia, and (to be confirmed) Spain.

The discussion will emphasize the economic case for early detection, kidney care integration into Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and the need for global policy action. The event will be live-streamed.

This event is supported by AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim.

On March 13, World Kidney Day (WKD) 2025 was celebrated worldwide. The year-long campaign theme, “Are your kidneys OK: Detect early, protect kidney health,” focused on the importance of early detection and raising awareness about the risk factors for kidney disease.

WKD activities on March 13 set new records — here are the highlights:

• 2,500 events were held worldwide, spreading awareness and promoting early screening
• Social media engagement reached 43K interactions (+215% compared to 2024), 762K impressions, and a 111 million reach for our hashtags: #WorldKidneyDay and #AreYourKidneysOK.
• Celebrities, governments, over 20 Ministries of Health, and leading international health organizations supported the cause
• The campaign was featured in 801 media outlets, reaching an estimated 157 million people globally

Thank you to everyone who helped make this World Kidney Day a remarkable success, including all our valued sponsors: Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease, Astellas, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Biogen, Boehringer Ingelheim & Eli Lilly Company, DaVita, Diaverum, Fresenius Kabi, Fresenius Medical Care, Nipro, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Sobi, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Travere Therapeutics, Vantive, Vera Therapeutics, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Zydus Lifesciences .

Our collective efforts are making a real difference. Let’s continue driving positive change in global kidney care!

The 2025 Professor Donal O’Donoghue Global Kidney Policy Forum, “Bridging gaps and building sustainable solutions,” took place on February 6 in New Delhi.  

The meeting addressed the rising burden of kidney disease in Southeast Asia, presenting a platform for global and regional leaders to discuss critical issues in kidney care and innovative solutions to improve early detection and healthcare accessibility.  

Patient Liaison Advisory Group member Vasundhara Raghavan and Advocacy Working Group Deputy Chair, Ifeoma Ulasi, closed the event with a powerful call for continued collaboration to advance kidney health worldwide. 

Look out for the pamphlet summarizing the forum’s key insights, available shortly. 

The ISN thanks all speakers, participants, and partners for their valued contribution to the success of this year’s forum. 

The ISN advances kidney health by collaborating with global and national organizations, advocating for early detection and effective treatments, and promoting equitable care. Through research and policy influence, the ISN’s efforts make a tangible difference in the lives of millions affected by kidney conditions.

A key initiative, the ISN-Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA), provides critical data on the organization, structures, and processes of kidney care across the world. Offering valuable insights into the global state of kidney health and healthcare services, it highlights disparities, guiding policymakers and healthcare providers toward improvements.

Explore all ISN-GKHA-related papers

Introducing the ISN-GKHA Interactive Map

To make global kidney health data even more accessible and actionable, the ISN has launched the ISN-GKHA Interactive Map. This dynamic tool provides insights into kidney health worldwide, allowing users to explore data by country, region, and key indicators. It offers a user-friendly experience that facilitates comparisons across different countries and regions.. This dynamic tool provides insights into kidney health worldwide, allowing users to explore data by country, region, and key indicators. It offers a user-friendly experience that facilitates comparisons across different countries and regions.

Key features of the interactive map:

• View by indicator: Explore data on critical aspects such as policies, workforce, services, and more
• View by country: Access specific data for individual countries and make comparisons between them
• View by ISN region: Review data based on geographical areas defined by the ISN
• View by World Bank Income Group: Understand kidney health trends categorized by the World Bank’s economic classification

The map leverages data from the 2019 and 2023 ISN-GKHA reports, presenting valuable insights into global disparities and advancements in kidney care. The next update is planned for 2027, ensuring the tool remains current and relevant.

The ISN-GKHA interactive map is an essential resource for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and researchers seeking to understand and address global kidney health challenges. Your feedback is invaluable in shaping future updates, so please take a moment to share your thoughts through the feedback survey.

Explore the map and access full reports and resources.

For further inquiries, feel free to reach out to GlobalAtlas@theisn.org.

 

The ISN is excited to announce the lineup of expert speakers from the Southeast Asia region presenting at the 2025 Professor Donal O’Donoghue Global Kidney Policy Forum:

• Dr Sanghamitra Pati, the Additional Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research
• Nalika Gunawardena, regional adviser for noncommunicable diseases at WHO SEARO

The forum will focus on the growing kidney disease burden in South-East Asia and will discuss strategies to prevent and manage it locally and globally. It will take place on February 6, from 2.15 – 4.15 p.m. IST, just before the official opening of WCN’25 in New Delhi, India.

Find out more about the lineup here

A critical issue in kidney health in Southeast Asia is the rising prevalence of chronic kidney disease and its association with diabetes and hypertension, coupled with limited access to early diagnosis and treatment. Socio-economic disparities and a lack of awareness about kidney health compound these challenges.

The forum will provide a platform for speakers to address these difficulties, focusing on equity in access to care. Discussions will explore strategies to promote kidney health by addressing social determinants of health, strengthening primary care systems, and expanding access to treatment options for end-stage kidney failure, including kidney transplantation and conservative kidney management.

The 2025 theme, “Are Your Kidneys OK? Detect Early, Protect Kidney Health,” highlights the importance of recognizing kidney disease risk factors and accessing timely testing to improve early detection, intervention, and outcomes. 

Here are some ways to support the WKD campaign: 

• Download the activity guide here 

• Share the WKD message with your community on social media – tag  @WorldKidneyDay and use hashtags #WorldKidneyDay, #AreYourKidneysOK, #KidneyHealthMatters 

• Download the WKD logo with and without date in multiple languages 

• Access our Social Media Toolkit to engage with the campaign 

• Download our custom-designed props to participate in the 2025 hashtag challenge #AreYourKidneysOK 

• Organize or take part in a WKD activity to mark the day and pin it to the WKD interactive map  

• Share a story for the WKD blog. Submit via email to emma@worldkidneyday.org or directly through your personal registration/login area on the WKD website  

• This year, WKD will feature the ISN  ‘Are Your Kidneys Healthy?’ quiz, which complements the 2025 theme.  

• Subscribe to the WKD newsletter to keep up to date with the 2025 campaign  

• Become a WKD champion and help raise awareness about kidney disease in your region. Find more information on how to become a champion here. 

Momentum is building for the proposed WHO Resolution on Reducing the Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) through the Promotion of Kidney Health and Strengthening Prevention and Control of Kidney Disease, led by Guatemala and expected to be approved at the World Health Assembly in May 2025.

Guatemala submitted the resolution on October 28, 2023.The resolution requires backing from WHO Executive Board members and unanimous votes from UN Member States.

The ISN actively supports Guatemala’s efforts with the resolution, encouraging Ministries of Health worldwide to back the initiative. To amplify this call, the ISN launched a global kidney health petition last year urging kidney health to be recognized as a priority NCD. With the petition deadline extended to May 2025 to coincide with the World Health Assembly, global support is crucial. Celebrities like José Corbacho have already joined the movement. 

The ISN is pleased to announce its recent participation in the “Patient Consensus Meeting” hosted by CompCure in Brussels, Belgium, in January 2025. 

The meeting brought together patient groups, kidney health organizations, and public policy advocates to tackle the challenges faced by people living with common and rare kidney diseases. Participants developed a consensus statement with 3–5 key recommendations for policymakers to help address the challenges they experience. 

Representing the ISN at the event, Detlef Böckenhauer presented “Kidney Health and the International and European Public Policy Agenda.” 

The ISN is committed to placing patients at the heart of its mission and advocating for stronger policies to improve kidney health. Look out for further updates from the meeting soon. 

The ISN is pleased to share that the European Kidney Forum 2025 took place on January 28, 2025, from 3-5 p.m. CET at the European Parliament in Brussels.

Organized by the MEP Group for Kidney Health and co-hosted by MEPs Tomislav Sokol and Andras Kulja, the forum focused on the theme “Early Detection, Better Outcomes: Advancing Kidney Disease Screening in the EU,” aiming to advance kidney health policies and amplify the importance of early detection initiatives across Europe.

The agenda included high-level discussions on kidney disease prevention, early detection, and the integration of screening efforts into EU health strategies. A networking exhibition provided a platform to forge collaborative relationships to help advance kidney disease prevention strategies.

The ISN is delighted to partner with Devex on a new content series of different op-eds and videos, “Accelerating Action: Financing the Future of NCD Prevention and Control.” 

Explore the content here.  

This collaboration seeks to emphasize the urgent need for sustainable and innovative financial solutions to combat noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including kidney disease, which plays a major role in the global health burden.  

A key focus of the series will be the intersection of climate change and kidney health. The ISN will highlight its Green-K initiative advocating for environmentally responsible kidney care and sustainable nephrology practices to reduce the sector’s carbon footprint. 

This partnership aims to drive global action, advocating for investments in kidney health as part of broader NCD strategies while advancing climate-conscious healthcare solutions. 

The 2025 Global NCD Alliance Forum will offer a key platform for addressing the global burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).  

From February 13 – 15, 2025, in Kigali, Rwanda, the forum will assemble key stakeholders from civil society to discuss and generate proposals to help shape the agenda for the 2025 UN High-level Meeting on NCDs, ensuring NCDs remain a priority on the global health stage. 

Ifeoma Ulasi, Advocacy Working Group deputy chair, will contribute to two sessions:  

• “Make the Change for Kidney Health: The Value of Screening and Early Detection in NCD Management” 
  Sponsored by GloPAKH, this session addresses early detection of reno-cardio-metabolic conditions as a critical measure to improving health outcomes.  

•  “Unlocking Health Equity: Addressing NCDs Through UHC and Financial Protection“
  Hosted by the UHC2030, led by WHO, the session focuses on strategies and priorities for coordinated and aligned advocacy efforts in the lead-up to the 4th UN High-level Meeting on NCDs. 

 

On September 19, the ISN launched a worldwide petition calling for action on kidney health for all. Kidney disease is the third fastest-growing cause of death worldwide and, as the only noncommunicable disease with a rising mortality rate, now the 7th leading cause of death globally. In just a few years, it will become the 5th. With your support, we can urge world leaders to recognize kidney disease as a priority NCD, potentially saving millions of lives. 

The annual World Kidney Day (WKD) campaign for 2025 officially launched on September 9. This year-long campaign features a day of global activities on March 13, 2025. 

The 2025 campaign, “Are Your Kidneys OK? Detect Early, Protect Kidney Health,” highlights the importance of recognizing kidney disease risk factors and accessing timely testing to improve early detection and intervention. 

This year, WKD will feature the ISN  ‘Are Your Kidneys Healthy?’ quiz, which complements the 2025 theme. This valuable tool aims to raise awareness and prompt individuals to protect and assess their kidney health. 

The 2025 WKD banners are now available on the WKD website – use them to inform your community that WKD 2025 has officially launched. Here are some other ways to support the WKD campaign: 

• Share the WKD message with your community on social media – tag  @WorldKidneyDay and use hashtags #WorldKidneyDay, #AreYourKidneysOK, #KidneyHealthMatters 

• Organize or take part in a WKD activity to mark the day and pin it to the WKD interactive map  

• Share a story for the WKD blog. Submit via email to emma@worldkidneyday.org or directly through your personal registration/login area on the WKD website  

• Subscribe to the WKD newsletter to keep up to date with the 2025 campaign  

• Become a WKD champion and help raise awareness about kidney disease in your region. More information on how to become a champion here.

On September 25, the ISN hosted dedicated activities to raise awareness of and drive action on kidney disease at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.  

An ISN exhibit booth, “Kidney Health Matters: Prioritizing the Silent Epidemic,” realized with the support from the ISN Strategic Partners, showcased data from the ISN Global Kidney Health Atlas to highlight the human and economic burden of kidney disease. ISN Advocacy Working Group Chair Valerie Luyckx co-hosted a fireside chat and presented at the ISN expert panel: “Transformative Health Policies for NCDs: Emphasizing the Importance of an Integrated Approach for Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic Conditions.”  

The event yielded highly positive outcomes. The Ministers of Health for Guatemala and Nepal, along with the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare for Japan, visited the ISN exhibition booth and signed the pledge. 

The 2025 Professor Donal O’Donoghue Global Kidney Policy Forum, “Enhancing Kidney Health in South-East Asia: Bridging Gaps and Building Sustainable Solutions,” will take place on February 6, just before the official opening of WCN’25 in New Delhi, India.  

Panelists, including global health advocates, will discuss options for promoting kidney health by addressing the social determinants of health and strengthening primary care services. Topics will also cover options for managing kidney failure, kidney transplantation and conservative kidney care.   

This year’s forum will include a dynamic two-hour session featuring expert panels and interactive Q&A discussions.  

The ISN participated in the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA), which took place in Geneva from May 26 to June 1. 

Five constituency statements, including Universal Health Coverage, transplantation, and the 4th High-Level Meeting on noncommunicable disease priorities, were presented to member states on behalf of the ISN, together with other signatory partners.  

Read the statements here.

As a non-state actor in relations with the WHO, the ISN organized the side event “Advancing Kidney Care for All: Expanding Access to Lifesaving Therapies” at WHA77 on May 29 to emphasize the need to raise kidney disease on the global health agenda. 

Watch a recording of the event here.  

A diverse group of experts – WHO representatives, policymakers, and people living with kidney diseases – gathered to address the critical issue of global disparities in kidney care. 

Kidney disease continues to affect approximately 850 million people worldwide⁽ⁱ⁾, often with devastating consequences. It is expected to become the 5th leading cause of death globally by 2040⁽ⁱⁱ⁾. The expert panel, featuring Dr. Valerie Luyckx (ISN), Daniel Gallego (Kidney Patients Federation), Dr. Bianca Hemmingsen (WHO), Alison Cox (NCD Alliance), and Dr. Anna Stavdal (World Organization of Family Doctors), discussed solutions and strategies to ensure that lifesaving therapies are accessible to all, regardless of geographical or socio-economic barriers. 

Panelists agreed that early detection and prevention of kidney diseases are the most effective ways to save lives. Achieving this requires ongoing awareness campaigns, prioritizing kidney disease as a health priority by decision-makers, and including civil society members and individuals with lived experience in the decision-making process. This involvement is vital for ensuring equitable access to lifesaving strategies. 

During the event, the former Guatemalan Health Minister, Mr. Oscar Cordón Cruz, emphasized that kidney health is a critical public health issue in his country, highlighting the significant impact of kidney diseases on the population. Recognizing the urgent need for improved kidney care, he committed to explore, along with the Central America Council of Health Ministers, the possibility of introducing a resolution on kidney diseases to the WHO, recognizing it as a priority noncommunicable disease (NCD). “We need to address the medical and legal aspects of kidney transplants. This approach is crucial for effective kidney care, ensuring we create strong policies that enhance access and outcomes for all patients in our region.” 

The Guatemalan Minister’s commitment to this initiative signals a promising step toward international collaboration. It emphasizes the importance of engaging with the WHO to fulfill the ISN mission to “Advance kidney health globally. Together.” 

The meeting was organized in collaboration with Devex, with support from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim & Lilly, and Novartis. 

(i) Francis, A., Harhay, M.N., Ong, A.C.M. et al. Chronic kidney disease and the global public health agenda: an international consensus. Nat Rev Nephrol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41581-024-00820-6 

(ii) EKHA, Kidney Manifesto 2024, https://ekha.eu/kidney-manifesto/ 

At the 77th World Health Assembly, Member States adopted a groundbreaking resolution on increasing availability, ethical access and oversight of human cell, tissue, and organ transplantation. This agreement endorses the updated World Health Organization (WHO) guiding principles on human cell, tissue, and organ transplantation.   

Read the resolution here.

As a non-State actor in official relations with the WHO, the ISN, alongside other signatories, welcomed the resolution and presented a constituency statement to governments emphasizing the importance of prioritizing cost-effective transplant treatments within national health systems.   

Access the statement here .

The statement highlights the need to:   

• Evaluate both patients and donors  

• Provide clear information on risks and benefits   

• Maintain registries for treatment data collection  

• Establish biovigilance systems before considering xenotransplantation support  

This resolution is expected to be discussed at the January 2026 WHO Executive Board meeting before seeking approval at the 2026 WHA.  

The ISN looks forward to working closely with decision-making authorities and partners to develop and support the resolution implementation strategy.  

World Kidney Day (WKD) 2024 was marked on March 14. 

A record-breaking 1,842 activities were organized worldwide to support the year-long campaign “Kidney Health for All – Advancing Equitable Access to Care and Optimal Medication Practice.” These included walks, runs, health screenings, webinars, conferences, and illuminated landmarks.  

Browse photos of global WKD activities here.

Social media played a significant role, with #WorldKidneyDay posts generating 146 million impressions.  More than 20 celebrities publicly marked WKD through social media, interviews, and public outreach activities.  In addition, the United Nations, multiple WHO regional offices, European DG SANTE, and various Ministries of Health used social media to emphasize prevention strategies to reduce the burden of kidney disease.  

Consult the full impact report 2024 here.

In addition, every year, a scientific editorial is written to celebrate World Kidney Day. The papers are on scientifically relevant topics that link to the campaign as a scientific basis for the annual theme.  

Read the WKD editorial 2024 here.

Help us to keep the momentum going! Here’s how to stay involved:  

• Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, and YouTube.  

• Subscribe to the WKD newsletter to stay up-to-date 

• Share WKD content to amplify the message.  

• Tag @WorldKidneyDay in your posts and use the hashtags #WorldKidneyDay and #KidneyHealthForAll.  

• Organize a local activity to raise awareness about kidney disease and pin it to the interactive map.   

The ISN contributed to the WHO’s web-based consultations on the director-general’s report on priorities for the Fourth High-level Meeting on NCDs – to be held in 2025 – and the NCD financial framework.  

 The ISN submitted comments emphasizing the critical role of kidney health in the broader NCD agenda and urged policymakers to provide policy and funding support proportionate to the disease burden. The ISN also shared information about these consultations with ASN and ERA, who submitted  contributions that leverage messages from our recent joint publication, “Chronic Kidney Disease and the Global Public Health Agenda: An International Consensus.” 

The ISN is preparing for a prominent role at the 79th United Nations General Assembly scheduled for September 10-24, 2024, in New York, USA. 

The ISN will participate in two-panel discussions and host an exhibition showcasing the burden of kidney disease, leveraging data from the ISN-Global Kidney Health Atlas. Through these initiatives, the ISN aims to engage directly with policymakers, highlighting the importance of kidney health within global and national health policy agendas. 

The Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group (DICG) has launched a campaign to participate in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, held on July 30.  

Access DICG resources on organ trafficking here.

The DICG’s theme for the campaign is “Recognizing Red Flags for Organ Trafficking,” highlighting warning signs that a potential donor is at high risk for trafficking. Find out more here. 

The ISN encourages all to support the DICG campaign by: 

• Broadcasting and sharing this poster with colleagues 

• Helping identify additional “red flags” here. 

• Attending a webinar on July 30 – find out more and register here 

Thank you in advance for your support. 

Read the current issue of the Declaration of Istanbul on Organ Trafficking and Transplant Tourism (DICG) newsletter here. 

 

Aligning with the 2024 World Kidney Day theme “Advancing equitable access to care and optimal medication practice,” Nature Reviews Nephrology has published an editorial on innovative therapies for diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Five global experts* from different world regions, including authors of the 2024 World Kidney Day scientific editorial, discuss barriers that must be overcome to ensure equitable access to care and medication.  

These experts focus on the impact of SGLT2 inhibitors and non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists on their therapeutic approach to patients with DKD. In addition, the contributors highlight the need for improved clinical trials to validate the effectiveness of new therapies and advocate for policy changes to ensure equitable global access to treatment. 

Discover the full editorial here.

*Ricardo Correa-Rotter, Louise J. Maple-Brown, Rakesh Sahay, Katherine R. Tuttle, and Ifeoma I. Ulasi 

The ISN is committed to highlighting kidney health in the global health agenda and actively advocates with the World Health Organization to prioritize kidney health as a critical noncommunicable disease (NCD). 

Earlier this year, Nature Reviews Nephrology published “Chronic Kidney Disease and the Global Public Health Agenda: An International Consensus,” highlighting kidney disease as a leading contributor to premature mortality among NCDs. 

Read the full article here.

Key recommendations from the international consensus include: 

• Improved access to care 

• Better prevention strategies 

• Development and scaling of care models 

• Greater awareness and education 

• Addressing social determinants 

• Increased funding for research 

• International cooperation 

• Engagement with patient communities 

For wide dissemination and use of the international consensus findings and recommendations, download the infographic on the global burden of kidney disease and the call to action to address it. The infographic educates the public and highlights the urgent need to prioritize kidney health in global healthcare. 

Access valuable resources to help prioritize kidney disease as a global health issue here.

The ISN urges all to use and disseminate these resources to advance global kidney care advocacy efforts. 

The ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group (PLAG) continues to play a crucial role in supporting the ISN’s efforts to develop initiatives and shape policies that advance kidney health worldwide.

The ISN has updated its “Resources for People Living with Kidney Disease webpage to feature personal stories, a map of patient organizations, educational tools, and links to World Kidney Day. The PLAG has recently provided valuable guidance in developing a survey to ensure these patient resources remain relevant and useful.  

Take the two-minute survey here until the end of July 2024 

In addition, PLAG representatives participated in recent ISN events, including a World Kidney Day webinar, where Bill Wang, chair of the advisory group, provided the patient perspective on advancing equitable access to care and optimal medication practice. 

PLAG members also collaborate with ISN-ACT Global Trials Focus members on the ISN “Guide for Everyone” series, which simplifies selected clinical trials for the layperson. 

Access the “Global Kidney Trials Insights: A Guide for Everyone” here 

As a new feature of the ISN-Global Kidney Health Atlas 2023 edition, the ISN surveyed people living with kidney diseases, including PLAG members, to incorporate their perspectives on kidney care availability and access. 

Access and download the 2023 ISN-GKHA here.

The ISN remains committed to prioritizing the voices of those living with kidney disease in its efforts to advance global kidney care. 

The “Professor Donal O’Donoghue, Global Kidney Policy Forum: Focus on Latin America” (PDOGKPF) will be held on April 15 from 3-5.40 p.m. local time at the World Congress of Nephrology 2024. 

The meeting brings together decision-makers and stakeholders, including WHO representatives, Ministers of health, people living with kidney disease, and internationally renowned nephrologists.  

Discover more about the Professor Donal O’Donoghue, Global Kidney Policy Forum here.  

Speakers will review the burden of kidney disease in the ISN Latin America region and share strategies for preventing and improving kidney care at regional and global levels.  

Highlights will include: 

• Mario Russo on the Argentinian Ministry of Health perspective 
• Anselm Hennis on the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization work on noncommunicable and kidney diseases 
• Ramon Garcia Trabanino on chronic kidney disease (CKD) of unknown origin 
• Marianella Sierra Canales on the patient perspective 
• Maria Eugenia Victoria Bianchi on Argentinian First Nations and CKD 
• María Carlota González Bedat on the Latin American Dialysis and Renal Transplantation Registry 
• Guillermo Rosa Diez on dialysis without a diagnosis 

The ISN invites all WCN’24 delegates to attend the Professor Donal O’Donoghue, Global Kidney Policy Forum in person in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to renew their commitment to the 10 Recommendations for Global Kidney Health. 

The ISN thanks the Argentinian Society of Nephrology and the Latin American Society of Nephrology and Hypertension for collaborating to organize and hold this significant event to advance kidney health globally. 

With over 850 million people globally affected by kidney disease, the ISN’s participation at the latest World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board 154th Session (EB154, January 22-29, 2024) was crucial for ISN advocacy efforts in the global health arena. 

At the meeting, the ISN highlighted the vulnerability of individuals with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) during health emergencies. Collaborating with the NCD Alliance and partners, the joint statement emphasized the need for the WHO to prioritize integrated NCD services and enhance people-centered primary care. Find details of these advocacy efforts here. 

Our commitment extended to addressing NCDs and mental health concerns. Joint statements with the NCD Alliance and other partners urged policy coherence, additional resources, and increased commitment. Member States were encouraged to actively prepare for the 2025 NCD high-level meeting and support the NCD Global monitoring framework update. The comprehensive statement is available here. 

In addition, alongside partners from the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health (GCCH), such as the World Heart Federation, the ISN highlighted the importance of prioritizing circulatory health services under universal health coverage. Our joint statement recommended essential screenings and affordable treatments and encouraged decision-makers to expand coverage by 2030, prioritize primary care, and integrate evidence-based interventions. Explore the statement in detail here. 

The WHO Executive Board announced its decision to maintain the ISN in official relations for another three years. The executive board commended the ISN’s ongoing dedication to the WHO’s work. A work plan underpins the “official relations” status. This foundational document guides collaborative efforts between the two entities, ensuring transparency, accountability, and an effective contribution to global health priorities. The work plan includes various deliverables that are accessible here.  

 As we reflect on the discussions and collaborative efforts at the EB154, the ISN remains committed to elevating kidney health in the global health agenda.  

As part of World Health Organization (WHO) -ISN 2021-2023 Collaboration Plan deliverables, the ISN has released three groundbreaking toolkits to empower professionals and policymakers to combat global kidney diseases. 

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) Toolkit  

Aligned with the key strategies of the ISN 0by25 Initiative, this toolkit covers: 

• AKI detection  
• AKI management  
• AKI prevention  
• Essential information on the creation of adaptable workflows for various clinical settings, including those with limited resources 

Discover the AKI Toolkit here. 

Dialysis Toolkit  

This toolkit complements the ISN Framework for Developing Dialysis Programs in Low-Resource Settings and incorporates the patient perspective. It covers various aspects of kidney failure care, including: 

• Modalities  
• Provider models  
• Conservative care  
• Person-centered plans  
• Ethical considerations 

Discover more on the Dialysis Toolkit here. 

Sharing Expertise to Support the Set-up of Renal Registries (SharE-RR) Toolkit: 

Designed for nephrologists and public health officials, the SharE-RR Toolkit outlines strategies for establishing and maintaining renal registries in high-, middle- and low-income countries. It covers: 

• Feasibility  
• Establishing a team  
• Defining scope  
• Data set and elements  
• Data sources and management  
• Information systems  
• Legal, ethical, privacy and security issues  
• Governance  
• Delivery 

Discover more on the SharE-RR Toolkit here. 

Explore other ISN Tookits here. 

The ISN extends its deepest gratitude to all the experts for their exceptional contributions to these toolkits. ISN members: Your continuous support makes the development of such tools possible! 

Strategies for Establishing and Maintaining Renal Registries: Maria Pippias on the SharE-RR Toolkit 

By Maria Pippias, co-chair of the SharE-RR Advisory Group  

The ISN Sharing Expertise to Support the Set-up of Renal Registries (SharE-RR) Toolkit is now available. 

More than 850 million people worldwide are estimated to be living with kidney disease, the burden of which is distributed unevenly, disproportionately affecting people in low- and middle-income countries.  

Renal registries increase awareness of this burden and advocate for resources to prevent and treat kidney disease. While well-established in many high-income countries, renal registries are infrequently found in low- and middle-income countries.  

Designed for kidney health professionals and public health officials, the SharE-RR Toolkit provides a high-level overview of strategies for establishing and maintaining renal registries in high-, middle- and low-income countries. The toolkit offers general guidance but can be adapted to suit those wishing to set up a chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, or other specific renal disease registry, as well as more traditional dialysis or transplant registries.  

It contains an interactive, searchable map to identify renal registries worldwide and their available expertise. A repository of recorded talks, methodological papers, and templates will be available shortly. 

Join us on April 13 at the WCN 2024: 

• SharE-RR Toolkit launch Spotlight Session, 6.45 p.m. (Buenos Aires time).
• SharE-RR Session: The Global Situation and Inspiration From Established Registries in Latin America, 1-4.05 p.m. (Buenos Aires time).

The ISN joins World Kidney Day (WKD) organizers in thanking all who supported WKD activities this year to raise awareness about the importance of ensuring equitable access to treatment and care for people living with kidney disease.  

The 2024 campaign owes its achievements to your consistent dedication throughout the year, alongside the tireless efforts of healthcare professionals, patients, supporters, and the general community, all collaborating to achieve the remarkable success of this edition. 

Share your WKD 2024 experiences with us and be featured on the WKD website and social media platforms! 

• Upload your photos on the WKD website and visit the WKD 2024 gallery 
• Fill in the activity report form, which will appear on the WKD impact report page. Innovative and impactful activities described in reports will be added as “best ideas“ 
• Use #WorldKidneyDay and tag @WorldKidneyDay on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Youtube in posts about your activity and they will be shared on WKD channels 

The ISN thanks the official WKD 2024 supporters: Astellas, AstraZeneca, Baxter, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim & Lilly, CSL Vifor, DaVita, Diaverum, Fresenius Kabi, Fresenius Medical Care, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Otsuka Visterra, Sanofi, Travere Therapeutics, Vera Therapeutics and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. 

In partnership with Devex, the ISN will host a stand-alone event in Geneva for the second time on May 29, 2024, from 9-10 a.m. CEST, coinciding with the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA). 

This event aims to raise the profile of kidney disease as a global health priority and make a case for why it can no longer be ignored. With more than five million people dying each year due to a lack of access to kidney care, policymakers must recognize the importance of kidney disease as a global safety concern. 

A panel of high-level speakers will explore holistic approaches to chronic kidney diseases (CKD), advocating for the worldwide adoption of tools and medication to ensure universal kidney health. Early diagnosis and treatment will take center stage as we discuss a comprehensive, whole-person care strategy to reshape the landscape of noncommunicable diseases.  

In particular, the event will examine the impact of CKD in low- and middle-income countries, where timely detection and treatment are often lacking, resulting in significant missed opportunities for prevention and intervention. The conversation will highlight the challenges of people living with kidney diseases in these regions, including barriers to accessing new lifesaving treatments, lack of awareness and diagnosis at the primary care level, and the persistently high costs associated with long-term treatment. 

Be part of this pivotal conversation as we break down barriers to treatment, enhance CKD awareness, and strengthen healthcare workforce capabilities.  

This event is supported by AstraZeneca and Novartis.

In February 2024, the ISN participated in the Global High-Level Technical Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases (GHLTM-NCDs) in Humanitarian Settings in Copenhagen, Denmark. As a non-state actor in official relations with WHO, the ISN is committed to enhancing NCD integration in humanitarian responses. 

In addition to official participation in the GHLTM, the ISN Renal Disaster Task Force Working Group was invited to host the official side event on dialysis. Attendees included representatives from health and non-health sectors of WHO Member States, with priority given to low- and middle-income countries in acute, protracted humanitarian crises and fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable (FCV) settings.  

Participants included UN agencies, multilateral and bilateral funding agencies, international organizations, humanitarian agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Crescent Societies, and global financial institutions. 

This event shed light on the challenges faced by dialysis-dependent individuals in disasters, emphasizing the urgency for a collaborative response. In its official capacity, the ISN seeks to strengthen policy considerations for kidney disease in emergency settings and NCD care in general, particularly in the lead-up to the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs in 2025. 

“An Update on the Global Disparities in Kidney Disease Burden and Care Across World Countries and Regions” has been published in The Lancet Global Health. 

Read the paper here. 

In the same edition, The Lancet Global Health published an editorial on the paper: “The Major Global Burden of Chronic Kidney Disease.” Read the editorial here. 

The ISN-Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA) is a worldwide survey that assesses the current capacity for kidney care. 

The 2023 edition builds on the work of previous editions, factoring in the impact of the pandemic and advances made since the atlas was first launched in 2016. It includes: 

• An assessment of regional risk factors and hotspots for kidney diseases 
• Outcomes of people living with kidney diseases treated with dialysis 
• Perspectives of people living with kidney diseases on strategies to improve care and access to care 

The current edition identifies shifts in kidney care disparities and efforts to address them, particularly in countries with limited resources and among vulnerable populations such as women and children in more affluent nations. 

Access the 2023 ISN-GKHA findings, including all prior publications, here. 

Bill Wang from the ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group (PLAG) group will be involved in the development of a patient-facing handout that will feature in a toolkit on the optimization of SGLT2i therapies led by the ISN in collaboration with nephrologists and cardiologists from multiple societies.* The involvement of the PLAG is critical to ensuring the tool accurately reflects information patients want and need. This toolkit is set to launch in the Summer. 

The PLAG previously reviewed the patient tool in the collaboration’s last toolkit on the Optimization of RAASi Therapy. The patient tool, available in English, Spanish and Japanese, was developed to support healthcare professionals in talking to their patients about RAASi therapy. 

*The American Society for Preventative Cardiology (ASPC), the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology (HFA), Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO), and the Renal Physicians Association (RPA). 

Adeera Levin, past president of the ISN (2015-17) and member of the ISN Advocacy Working Group, attended the United Nations General Assembly meetings (UNGA78) held in New York City in September. The event included the Devex meeting, where Dr. Levin was part of a panel with Marisol Robles, patient representative and president of the Mario Robles Ossio Foundation (Ms. Robles was one of the speakers at the opening ceremony of WCN’17), and Slim Slama from the WHO.  

Watch a recording of the Devex meeting here.

The meeting offered the opportunity to sensitize a large global community to the importance of kidney health and disease and the impact of chronic kidney disease on individuals, societies, and the environment. WHO officials are working toward more formal resourced structures to focus on kidney-related issues.  

The Global Coalition for Circulatory Health (GCCH) meeting addressed the value of advocacy for circulatory health in a panel discussion comprising a patient, a cardiologist, the Health Minister from the Philippines, and Dr. Levin.  

Access a recording of the GCCH meeting here.  

Dr. Levin attended two high-level meetings (HLMs) at the UN on pandemic preparedness and universal health coverage. Global, regional and national group representatives participated in the HLMs. The ISN submitted statements at both meetings. 

A common theme at all the meetings was the need to reorganize global health to address the fragmented and parochial nature of current healthcare systems. Addressing structural issues will improve pandemic preparedness, responses, and resilience and help decrease health inequities.  

A call to recognize the inter-relatedness of noncommunicable (NCD) and infectious diseases was made, acknowledging the impact of one on the outcomes of the other.  

Dr. Levin observed: “Key messages for the future should be outward facing, supporting collaboration between and among NCD groups, and in support of integrated efforts to improve healthcare access for all.”  

As part of the ISN-WHO 2021-2023 collaboration plan, the ISN is pleased to announce the release of three new toolkits in early 2024.

The ISN thanks all experts involved for their outstanding contributions.

1.	Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) Toolkit This toolkit provides essential information on AKI and supports the development of specific workflows that can be adapted to different clinical settings, including low-resource ones. The toolkit facilitates AKI detection, management, and prevention, integrating key strategies highlighted in the ISN 0by25 initiative.   The toolkit was produced by the ISN AKI Toolkit Working Group – Rahul Chanchlani, Robert Kalyesubula, Vivek Kumar, and Eranga Wijewickrama – under leadership from Rolando Claure-Del Granado, and support from Jorge Cerda, Etienne Macedo, and Andrew Lewington.
2.	Dialysis Toolkit This toolkit complements the ISN Framework for Developing Dialysis Programs in Low-Resource Settings, incorporatingthe patient perspective. It provides additional resources on different aspects of kidney failure care, including modalities, provider models, conservative care, person-centered plans, and ethical considerations.   The toolkit was produced by the ISN Dialysis Toolkit Working Group (Simon Davies, Brett Cullis, Ana Elizabeth Figueiredo, Arpana Iyengar, Valerie Luyckx, Abdou Niang, Henriette Tyse Nygård, Jordan ParsonsIrma Tchokhonelidze and Tushar Vachharajani
3.	Sharing Expertise to Support the Set-up of Renal Registries (SharE-RR) Toolkit Renal registries provide valuable data for service planning, research, and advocacy purposes but require considerable resources and infrastructure.   Aimed at nephrologists and public health officials, the toolkit outlines strategies to establish and maintain renal registries, providing an overview of all necessary steps and considerations with adaptations for low and middle-income countries.   The ISN SharE-RR Advisory Committee developed the toolkit under the leadership of Fergus Caskey and Maria Pippias.

World Kidney Day (WKD) 2024 will take place on March 14, 2024. 

This year’s theme, “Kidney Health for All: Advancing equitable access to care and optimal medication practice,” will help raise awareness of the importance of equitable access to appropriate treatment and how to delay disease progression and improve the quality of life for people living with kidney disease.  

Visit the WKD website and explore the 2024 theme, call-to-action, logos and visuals available in different languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Russian, Spanish and Swahili.  

Start your social media campaign and engage with your audience! Consult the social media toolkit for helpful information and resources about the 2024 campaign, including hashtags, visuals, tailored content for your social media posts, and additional tips on involving your audience in Instagram and Facebook stories, the #ShowYourKidneys challenge, or X-spaces.  

Let us know how you will mark the day by pinning your activity to the WKD interactive map and use our 2024 resources to raise the profile of kidney health in your community.   

The ISN was pleased to participate in the policy breakfast “Doing Better for Europe’s NCD Population: Earlier Intervention to Transform Outcomes for People and Planet” in October at the European Parliament in Brussels hosted by MEP Stelios Kympouropoulos (EPP, Greece).  

The meeting was organized in collaboration with AstraZeneca and the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU in the framework of the European Parliament Subcommittee of Public Health’s work on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). 

Key speakers included Eveline Scheres – managing director of the European Kidney Health Alliance, Juan Carlos Julián Mauro – managing director of the Spanish Kidney Patients’ Federation, Daniel Gallego – president of the European Kidney Patients’ Federation, and MEP Margarita De La Pisa Carrión (ECR, Spain). 

The event focused on the huge impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on patients and caregivers, the economic burden on healthcare systems (140 billion euros annually in the EU), and the high ecological cost; kidney dialysis consumes about 75,000 liters of water per year and generates significant amounts of waste and CO2 emissions.  

Speakers highlighted how improving preventative measures and early intervention and detection could transform patient outcomes, reduce the socio-economic impact of CKD and support the health of our planet.  

The ISN participated in the high-level meeting “Towards Global Convergence in Transplantation: Sufficiency, Transparency and Oversight” in November in Santander, Spain. 

The Ministry of Health – Organización Nacional de Trasplantes organized the high-level meeting under the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU.  

ISN Past President Vivekanand Jha took part in a panel discussion on the impact of transplantation on other United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Kidney transplantation was identified as the most important life-saving and cost-effective treatment option for people with kidney failure, a position already advocated by the ISN in its “Framework for Developing Dialysis Programs in Low-resource Settings.”  

Dr. Jha commented: “We reiterated that transplantation is influenced by and contributes to several UN SDGs beyond SDG 3. It contributes to the sustainability and resilience of healthcare systems through health system preparedness and strengthening of health care services.”  

Acknowledgment was made of the favorable impact of transplantation on the ongoing environmental crisis compared to dialysis. 

ISN member and leader Rümeyza Kazancıoğlu noted, “The discussions covered ongoing ethical challenges in the donation and transplantation of ‘Substances of Human Origin’ (SoHO) and advocating for financial neutrality in organ donation, preventing trafficking in organs and other SoHOs, and ensuring fairness in access to SoHO-based therapies and transplantation across borders.” 

The consensus called upon all nations to enact explicit regulations that ban the payment for organs and other human body parts while also strictly prohibiting human trafficking for their acquisition. 

The summit suggested involving health authorities from different countries to address inequalities in organ transplants. It also highlighted the importance of transparency and vigilance by creating registries monitored by national health authorities. These registries would track all donations and organ transplants within and between countries. 

ISN member Dominique Martin reported: “Among the many important recommendations and recurrent themes, what stood out for me was the need to strengthen systems for data collection, sharing and use, to improve transparency of practice and inform efforts to increase equity, address trafficking and commercialism, and improve outcomes of donation and transplantation.  

The importance of collaboration between countries and various stakeholders such as health authorities, professional societies, patient organizations and industry was evident. While solutions must be tailored to the local context, many challenges are multifactorial and not limited by jurisdictional borders or regulatory distinctions between various therapies. By working together on policy, research, and advocacy, we will be more effective in responding to crises and achieving sustained progress on our common goals.” 

The “2023 Professor Donal O’Donoghue, Global Kidney Policy Forum (PDOGKPF’23): International Focus on Kidney Health Challenges and Opportunities Affecting the Oceania and South-East Asia Region” summarizes the principal kidney-related challenges affecting this region and provides concrete proposals to deliver best-practice kidney care, as outlined by speakers at the event.

ISN and Academy members can watch a recording of the event here

Download the complete report here

Held in March by the ISN as part of the World Congress of Nephrology (WCN’23), the PDOGKPF’23 brought together an influential assembly of decision-makers and stakeholders, including WHO representatives, patients, and globally renowned nephrologists. Its primary focus was addressing the pressing challenges of kidney diseases while forging policies to enhance their prevention and management.

Key speakers included Bente Mikkelsen, director of the WHO’s NCDs Department, Sophon Mekthon, Vice Public Health Minister of the Thai Royal government, Yot Teerawattananon from the Thai Ministry of Public Health’s Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program, who spoke on behalf of Opas Karnkawinpong, permanent secretary for Public Health, Jadej Thammaaree, secretary general of the National Health Security Office, and Bill Wang, a kidney patient advocate.

Our ongoing commitment to improving kidney care in the region involves collaborating with regional partners to implement the “Recommendations to Global Kidney Health” and help them address the significant variations in the accessibility, affordability, and quality of care.

In the coming months, our primary focus will be on the upcoming PDOGKPF at WCN’24 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This significant event will be held in collaboration with the Argentinian Society of Nephrology (ASN) and the Latin American Society of Nephrology and Hypertension (SLANH), with a shared dedication to advancing kidney health globally.

A panel of distinguished experts recently came together to address challenges in kidney care within the North America and Caribbean (NAC) region.

Watch “Kidney Disease in the Caribbean: Lessons from Successes and Paths to New Discoveries”

This webinar provides valuable insights from peers in the NAC region, offering opportunities to enhance kidney care in your own area. Topics included

• Raising awareness of pediatric CKD in Jamaica
• Exploring the diverse causes of adult CKD
• Emphasizing the importance of renal registries
• Examining the nuances of Grenada’s kidney care

The webinar, held in August, was organized by ISN North America and the Caribbean Regional Board members and featured contributions from Sandrica Young-Peart, Lori-Ann Fisher, Maria Carlota Gonzalez Bedat, and Lisa Radix. The discussion was moderated by Shuchi Anand and Rulan Parekh, chair and former chair of the NACRB, respectively.

Lori-Ann Fisher and Raquel Lowe-Jones were key participants at the SIDS Ministerial Conference in Barbados held in June, representing the ISN North America and Caribbean Regional Board.

This important conference addressed the challenges of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health in small island developing states (SIDS). It resulted in the creation of the Bridgetown Declaration on NCDs and Mental Health, highlighting the urgent need to combat these challenges, especially in the context of climate change impacts.

SIDS nations made concrete commitments at the event, including improving mental health accessibility and using evidence-based interventions against NCDs. This declaration is set to shape global health coverage and NCD discussions in upcoming international meetings.

Prominent figures such as Barbados Prime Minister Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (director-general of WHO), and Jarbas Barbosa (director of PAHO) contributed valuable insights to the discussion.

The conference concluded with a resolute commitment to addressing NCDs and mental health challenges in SIDS countries through collaborative efforts that combine medical expertise with concerns about climate-related vulnerabilities.

Understanding kidney disease in the Caribbean: a brief overview

“Undoubtedly, lifestyle choices play a significant role in contributing to NCDs. The burden is amplified in the Caribbean as we are a diverse group of people, spanning many ethnic and cultural backgrounds that impact how we live and the environment.

Despite our geopolitical kinship to North America, our collective resources are inadequate to supply the universal healthcare needs of the primary prevention and management of NCDs, especially kidney disease.

Kidney disease often develops in people with NCDs, but symptoms may only appear at a late stage. As hypertension and diabetes start at a younger age, this will likely worsen the kidney disease problem.”

Complex factors affecting kidney health in the Caribbean

• The islands are more exposed to climate catastrophes affecting the agricultural sector, directly impacting food security and nutrition.
• The growing footprint of the fast-food industry: When a famous donut franchise opened in Jamaica, people lined up overnight to try these sweet snacks.
• Low wages, bad work conditions, old-fashioned medical systems, and insufficient healthcare professionals to handle the growing workload are causing many healthcare workers to leave their home countries.

The impact of COVID-19 on kidney health

The COVID pandemic was challenging across all sectors in the Caribbean, with mental health issues coming to the fore through increased media attention on personal stories of burnout and family conflicts.

Kidney patients lacked continuity of care during the pandemic, causing new cases of kidney disease and a worsening of pre-existing cases. We experienced a lack of supply and increased demand for renal replacement therapy. In addition, patients were exposed to psychosocial stressors of the pandemic impacting family life.

The promising insights and commitments made at the SIDS meeting lay solid foundations for the future of kidney care in the Caribbean, where enhanced equity, resource access, sustainable practices, and patient empowerment are poised to drive significant improvements in healthcare outcomes.

Adeera Levin, former ISN President and member of the Advocacy Working Group, will be representing the ISN at a joint side event organized by Devex and AstraZeneca. “How Improving Kidney Health Can Transform Health Systems for All” will be held during the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 19 in New York.

The event’s goal is to integrate kidney health into the broader universal health coverage (UHC) agenda. It aims to prioritize kidney health alongside other NCDs like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, positioning it as a central focus in health policy discussions.

Dr. Levin will also attend the UN High-Level Meetings on “Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response” and “UHC” at the UN headquarters on September 20 and 21. During the latter meeting, she will present two ISN statements advocating for kidney disease inclusion in pandemic plans and emphasizing the role of UHC and strong primary healthcare systems in reducing kidney disease impact and poverty.

Dr. Levin will participate in a Global Coalition for Circulatory Health (GCCH) side event titled “Circulatory Health for All: Investing to Reach UHC and Prevent Pandemics” on September 20.

Building on the recent ISN-GCCH joint position paper “The Road to UHC. Why Integration of Circulatory Health Interventions in Primary Care is Essential,” the event aims to highlight the importance of integrating circulatory disease interventions in primary care, particularly during and after the pandemic, as countries strive towards UHC.

On July 13, 2023, the ISN and IDF collaborated to release a joint policy brief called “Renewing the Fight: A Call to Action for Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease.” The launch took place through a highly successful webinar, attracting a global audience of 1,200 participants from 100 countries. The event and the brief received additional recognition when featured in the WHO’s NCDs weekly newsletter.

Antonio Ceriello (IDF) and Roberto Pecoits-Filho (ISN), lead authors of the brief, shared vital findings and policy recommendations based on their diabetes and kidney disease study. Shaifali Sandal, an ISN Advocacy Working Group member and Emerging Leaders Program cohort 2 participant, delivered an impactful speech underscoring the brief’s importance as an advocacy resource.

Watch a recording of the webinar here.

The IDF created a podcast hosted by Dr. Ceriello and Dr. Pecoits-Filho, which delves deeper into this crucial intersection of health concerns.

Access the podcast here.

2024 campaign theme

The World Kidney Day (WKD) Steering Committee has announced the 2024 WKD campaign theme:

Kidney Health for All – Advancing Equitable Access to Care and Optimal Medication Practice

Recent medical advances have significantly slowed CKD progression and reduced complications. However, disparities in accessing these advancements persist.

The 2024 campaign aims to increase awareness of these inequalities and encourage collaborative strategies to improve access to suitable treatment for those with kidney disease.

Take a closer look at the WKD 2024 campaign theme here.

Fresh Logo!

As part of the WKD campaign makeover, the organizers have introduced a fresh logo that embraces modern design and highlights a commitment to sustainability, a core value within the international kidney care community.

Watch the launch video to discover the new WKD logo!

The distinctive stripes symbolize WKD’s dedication to a broad audience, including the general public, those living with kidney disease, healthcare professionals, and policymakers. The brackets depict both kidneys and represent the two hemispheres of the globe.

This updated identity aligns with WKD’s enduring mission: to raise awareness of the global importance of kidney health.

The new WKD logo is available in 20+ languages. Download the logo and share it with your community!

2024 WKD Banners

Help us raise awareness of equitable access to kidney care and treatment – use and share the 2024 WKD banners on your website and social media channels to let your community know that the WKD 2024 has officially launched!

Valerie Luyckx, ISN Advocacy Working Group chair, was invited to join a panel of experts at the World Heart Federation’s Heart Café Session “Navigating the Complex Relationship Between Chronic Kidney Disease and Cardiovascular Complications,” held as part of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Watch a recording of the event here.

Dr. Luyckx highlighted the relationship between chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular complications, pointing out the need for a holistic approach to treatment.

She stated, “To protect the kidneys, you need to protect the heart…most patients with kidney disease actually die of cardiovascular disease…young people on dialysis have a 500 times increased risk of dying of cardiovascular disease compared to young people the same age without cardiovascular disease, so part of our message is really breaking down the silos…looking at the entire patient and realizing that cardiovascular disease is a major morbidity for patients with kidney disease but also kidney disease is an enormous risk factor for cardiovascular disease.”

Dr. Luyckx accentuated the need for close collaboration to speed up the availability of effective medication, commenting, “We were very happy to see that the latest ESC guidelines included proper screening for kidney disease. One of our concerns is that awareness of the guidelines is low. We do know that drugs work…but the uptake is low. It takes 17 years to get evidence into practice for both cardiologists and nephrologists, and so one of the synergies is that if we all work together, we can shorten those 17 years and start saving lives now.”

The European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA), of which the ISN is a full board member, held its annual European Kidney Forum in June alongside the MEP Group for Kidney Health. The meeting brought together high-level stakeholders to discuss concrete and forward-looking solutions to the environmental burden of kidney care.

This year’s forum, “The Future of Kidney Care – Investing in Green Nephrology to Meet the European Green Deal Targets,” highlighted the need for green nephrology to become standard practice. It explored the symbiotic relationship between nephrology and the environment, discussing innovative eco-friendly solutions and EU opportunities.

Key speakers included MEP Hilde Vautmans and MEP Juozas Olekas, MEP Group for Kidney Health chair and member, respectively. Daniel Gallego, president of the European Kidney Patients’ Federation, stressed that to achieve both a better quality of life for people on dialysis and environmentally sustainable kidney care, “Innovation is not only possible – it is imperative.”

Fiona Loud, a member of the ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group and policy director at Kidney Care UK, was on the panel, highlighting the impact of the current energy crisis on the continuity of safe and effective kidney care.

For a new approach to kidney care, the EU’s role is vital, bringing awareness, funding, and policy focus. All stakeholders, including patients, healthcare providers, funders, and policymakers, must collaborate for innovative solutions.

Building on this EU-level progress, the ISN will keep collaborating with the EKHA and other partners to enhance the lives of kidney disease patients in Europe and worldwide.

The ISN hosted the “Professor Donal O’Donoghue Global Kidney Policy Forum 2023 (PDOGKPF’23): Focus on Oceania and South-East Asia” on March 30 as part of World Congress of Nephrology (WCN’23) activities. The PDOGKPF’23 brought key decision-makers and stakeholders together to address the burden of kidney diseases and discuss policies to improve their prevention and management at regional and global levels.

Key speakers included Dr. Bente Mikkelsen, director of the WHO’s NCDs Department, Dr. Sophon Mekthon, Vice Public Health Minister of the Thai Royal government, Dr. Yot Teerawattananon from the Thai Ministry of Public Health’s Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program who spoke on behalf of Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, permanent secretary for Public Health, Dr. Jadej Thammaaree, secretary general of the National Health Security Office, and Mr. Bill Wang, kidney patient advocate.

This was the fifth meeting in the ongoing series of ISN Policy Forums. An important outcome of the first GKPF, which took place in Mexico in April 2017, was the creation of the Recommendations to Global Kidney Health developed by stakeholders to address the significant growth of kidney disease worldwide. The recommendations were designed to guide efforts to reduce this burden and provide the foundations for subsequent forums. in line with the latest international health policy discussions.

Held in a hybrid format, this year’s forum was endorsed by the Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology and the Nephrology Society of Thailand. More than 60 attended in person, including representatives from the WHO, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Thailand’s National Health Security Office, and the Malaysian Ministry of Health. More than 450 people attended online, predominantly from China, Thailand, and Malaysia.

The ISN will continue working with regional partners to motivate policymakers and politicians to activate change to advance equitable access to kidney care, stressing the vital need to adhere to and implement the “Recommendations to Global Kidney Health” to do so.

In parallel, our efforts are turning toward the next PDOGKPF at WCN’24 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which will be held in collaboration with the Argentinian Society of Nephrology (ASN) and the Latin American Society of Nephrology and Hypertension (SLANH).

The ISN attended the 76th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva in May, presenting five separate constituency statements and holding an inaugural stand-alone event in collaboration with Devex. During the same week, the WHA approved 2023-2025 collaboration plans with non-state actors, including the ISN.

Three joint statements, co-signed with partners in the NCD Alliance and the World Heart Federation (WHF), focused on the following:

• Prioritizing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including kidney disease, in national pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response plans
• Including essential NCD services in national universal health coverage (UHC) benefit packages
• Urging Member States to consider interventions to control common NCD co-morbidities such as diabetic kidney disease and cardiovascular risk factors in chronic kidney disease in Appendix 3 of the Global NCD Action Plan 2013-2030

The ISN also co-signed a fourth constituency statement on well-being and health promotion alongside the NCD Alliance and a fifth on social determinants of health and air pollution under the WHF’s lead.

Seeking to inform the upcoming UN High-Level Meeting (UNHLM) on UHC and align with Sustainable Development Goals, the ISN-Devex event “From Neglected NCD to Priority: Accelerating Action on Kidney Disease” took place in person on May 24.

Renowned experts such as Dr. Slim Slama, WHO unit head of NCD Management, Dr. John Amuasi, co-chair of The Lancet One Health Commission, and Professor Vivek Jha, executive director of The George Institute for Global Health, presented on various aspects of kidney disease, emphasizing the need for global attention and practical strategies to enhance action and investment in low- and middle-income countries.

Mr. Joab Wako, a transplant recipient and chair of the ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group, shared valuable insights into the challenges people living with kidney disease face. Ms. Helen McGuire, global program leader for noncommunicable diseases at PATH, discussed community-based solutions to enhance health systems for kidney disease care. The Honourable Minister of Health of Ethiopia, Dr. Lia Tadesse Gebremedhin, and the Director General of Medical Education at the Bangladesh Ministry of Health, Dr. Md. Titu Miah, presented experiences and initiatives in kidney disease management.

The 76th WHA was also a fitting opportunity to launch the ISN-Global Coalition for Circulatory Health joint position paper, “The Road to UHC. Why Integration of Circulatory Health Interventions in Primary Care is Essential,” in preparation for the next UNHLM on UHC. The paper presents case studies and best practices in primary care from low- and lower-middle-income countries, urging Member States to include basic circulatory health services in their UHC benefit packages.

The ISN advocacy team contacted approximately three hundred high-level policymakers of , WHO officials, and key stakeholders to share the results of the Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA) 2023 edition, launched at the PDOGKPF’23 at WCN 2023.

Updated every four years according to the WHO’s “building blocks” of health systems, the latest report includes the perspective of people living with kidney diseases. It presents the latest data on the global and regional capacity to provide care for people living with chronic kidney disease and kidney failure. For this edition, a record number of countries participated in the survey: 167 countries representing 97.4% of the world’s population.

Among other findings, the 2023 ISN-GKHA shows that the global burden of kidney failure remains significant partly due to high treatment costs and the extensive impact on the health and well-being of people living with kidney disease. Identifying gaps in key aspects of kidney care worldwide, the 2023 ISN-GKHA demonstrates that these gaps are particularly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries.

By widely circulating the report with national and international policymakers and stakeholders, the ISN aims to guide policy and advocacy efforts to promote optimal and universal kidney failure care and provide benchmarks to help countries track their progress over time.

As a European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA) member, the ISN joined the film screening and roundtable, “Celebrating 80 Years for Dialysis: Time Again for Science-fiction to Meet Reality,” organized by the EKHA at the European Parliament in Brussels in April.

Hosted by MEPs Ondřej Knotek and Martin Buschmann, co-chair of the MEP Group for Kidney Health, the event brought together high-level stakeholders in patient advocacy, nephrology, and policy-making to raise awareness of the physical and mental burden that kidney disease and treatment have on kidney patients and to discuss innovative solutions to dialysis 80 years after its invention.

Professor Raymond Vanholder, EKHA president, commented, “We [in the kidney community] are too shy and do not express what kind of burden this is for societies; we need to urgently raise awareness on these issues.”

All the speakers highlighted the pressing need to make treatment easier for people with kidney diseases. Daniel Gallego, president of the European Kidney Patients’ Federation, who has undergone dialysis since 1995, affirmed, “After 80 years of dialysis, we [have] learned that patients prefer quality of life over a long life; it makes no sense just to survive, we need quality. Treatments are far from adequate even today ̶ [the] tech revolution didn’t reach kidney care.”

This burden led the late Delphine Blanchard, a kidney patient representative from the EKHA member association Renaloo, to the tragic decision to voluntarily stop her dialysis treatment, resulting in her premature death in 2022, aged 45. The event was organized as a tribute to her in the hope that it would serve as a wake-up call for European and national policymakers to prioritize research and investment for innovative and less-invalidating kidney disease treatments.

MEP Knotek urged more attention to kidney disease within European institutions, especially now that new technological advancements in kidney care are on the horizon. He emphasized, “Without action, the healthcare system won’t be sustainable anymore…it is time to put innovation for the treatment of chronic diseases among the top EU priorities.”

With momentum building at the EU level, the ISN will continue to work alongside the EKHA and other partners to help develop forward-looking policy solutions to improve the lives of people with kidney diseases in Europe and elsewhere.

The 2023 World Kidney Day (WKD) campaign successfully raised awareness of the impact of disastrous events on people living with kidney disease. The 2023 campaign focused on the need for better preparation in planning responses before, during, and after a crisis to minimize disruptions in kidney care and save as many lives as possible.

The recently published 2023 WKD impact report highlights global efforts to promote kidney health, including over 1,500 activities organized in more than 90 countries.

WKD achieved remarkable traction through in-person activities and made a significant impact online, reaching over 436 million people through #worldkidneyday and its associated messages on social media.

The #ShowYourKidneys challenge proved popular among doctors, patients, and advocates, reaching 4.9 billion people online. Free WKD resources for the general public were also in demand: the toolkit was downloaded 6.8 thousand times. The campaign attracted media attention in 32 countries, notably with the publication of the WKD 2023 scientific editorial in Kidney International®.

The success of WKD 2023 was made possible by the support of 152 WKD champions from more than 70 countries. The regional reports showcase their inspiring experiences and initiatives.

WKD, the ISN and IFKF-WKA are thankful to everyone who made WKD 2023 an extraordinary day.

Mr. Manvir Victor, past chair and member of the ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group, reports on transplant awareness walks in Malaysia:

“The third consecutive monthly “Transplant Awareness Walk” took place the last weekend in May in Kuala Lumpur. The walks were initiated in March 2023 by myself and Mr. Siva Kumar Raghavan, the first Malaysian dialysis patient to summit Mount Kinabalu in 2022. These “first-of-a-kind” walks have progressively become more popular.

Taking place every last Sunday of the month at one of the most frequented parks in Kuala Lumpur, Lake Titiwangsa, the walks aim to create a relaxed environment where people waiting for kidney transplants and their families can access healthcare professionals outside the clinical setting.

Participants joining the patients include transplant surgeons, nephrologists, nurses, medical students, and caregivers, but walks are open to everyone and are free of charge.

Mr. Raghavan and I are both kidney transplant recipients. We hope that these walks will pick up in other states in Malaysia, connecting more healthcare professionals with patients and future transplant patients.”

For more details on the “Transplant Awareness Walks” in Kuala Lumpur, follow @manvirvictor on Twitter.

Mr. Joab Wako*, chair of the ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group, reports on his experience at the 2023 International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) Global Patients Congress (GPC 2023):

“The GPC 2023 comprised a packed program of talks and sessions from passionate speakers celebrating and learning from patient engagement and co-creation to help improve the availability and accessibility of safe and innovative health care.

The IAPO congress took place in Geneva, a few kilometers from where the 76th World Health Assembly (WHO) was being held. This synchronicity was no coincidence; this year’s IAPO congress focused on including patients or persons with a lived experience, like me, at all levels of health governance and decision-making. What better time and place to hold this than during the World Health Assembly, where 194 WHO member states, partner agencies, representatives of civil societies, and experts gather to discuss current and future priorities for global health?

Since the WHO celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, the IAPO congress looked at the key role patients and patient organizations play in co-creating and advancing global health.

Patients are at the center of healthcare systems. We must co-design future systems in the wake of advancing digital health, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.”

Watch a recording of the congress here.

*Mr. Wako has a record of accomplishments in championing the lived experience with WHO and took part in the consultation process to draft the WHO Framework for Meaningful Engagement of People Living with NCDs and Mental Health and Neurological Conditions, eventually co-chairing its launch on May 11, 2023. This framework seeks to support the WHO and its Member States to include input from people with lived experience within health-related programs and policies. Mr. Wako also shared valuable insights into the challenges faced by people living with kidney diseases as a speaker at the recent ISN-Devex event at WHA76.

The ISN is pleased to announce that the joint ISN-IDF policy brief “Renewing the Fight: A Call to Action for Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease” will be launched at a webinar taking place on July 13, 2023, from 2-3.15 p.m. CEST.  

Register for the webinar here.   

Aimed at advocates, healthcare professionals, and policymakers involved with people living with diabetes and kidney disease, the policy brief provides recommendations on action required to prevent, manage and treat this condition effectively. It also includes best practice examples and testimonies from people with lived experience of diabetes and kidney disease.  

The webinar includes the following: 

• Opening remarks from ISN and IDF Presidents Dr. Masaomi Nangaku and Professor Akhtar Hussain respectively 
• Talks from the brief’s lead authors, Dr. Antonio Ceriello (IDF) and Dr. Roberto Pecoits-Filho (ISN), on key highlights of diabetes and kidney disease data and policy recommendations  
• A presentation from Dr. Shaifali Sandal, from the ISN Advocacy Working Group and current Emerging Leaders Program cohort, on the importance of the brief and its utility in advocacy efforts 

Ms. Anita Sabidi, an IDF Blue Circle Voice from Indonesia who lives with diabetes and kidney disease, will moderate the webinar. 

The “Professor Donal O’Donoghue, Global Kidney Policy Forum: Focus on Oceania and South East Asia” will be held on March 30 from 8 a.m. to 12.10 p.m. local time at the World Congress of Nephrology 2023.

The meeting brings together decision-makers and stakeholders, including WHO representatives, patients, and internationally renowned nephrologists. Discover the complete Global Kidney Policy Forum program here.

Speakers will review the burden of kidney disease in the ISN Oceania and South East Asia Region and share strategies for preventing and improving kidney care at regional and global levels. Highlights include:

• Bente Mikkelsen on the WHO’s work on NCDs and kidney diseases
• Bill Wang on the patient perspective
• Adrien Liew on emergency preparedness
• Sanjib Sharma on migrant workers returning home with AKI/CKD
• Khin Phyu Pyar on home dialysis therapies in Myanmar
• Katherine Barraclough on green nephrology

The ISN invites all WCN’23 delegates to attend the Global Kidney Policy Forum in person in Bangkok, Thailand, to renew their commitment to the updated “Recommendations to Global Kidney Health.”

The GKPF will also be broadcast online as an open-access session. Attending the online session requires no congress registration, but you must create a profile in the WCN’23 portal and register.

The ISN submitted three statements supporting global kidney health when it participated in the 152^nd session of the World Health Organization’s Executive Board from January 30 to February 7, 2023. This annual meeting gathers WHO executive board members at the start of each year to agree on resolutions for consideration by the World Health Assembly in May.

Working alongside members of the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health (GCCH) the ISN co-signed a statement on strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies calling on member states to prioritize ongoing prevention, screening, and treatment for circulatory conditions in national COVID-19 response and recovery plans.

The ISN submitted an additional joint statement with the GCCH, highlighting the importance of accelerating progress toward Universal Health Coverage through robust and well-financed primary healthcare systems.

Thirdly, in an individual statement on the draft updated menu of policy options and cost-effective interventions for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases, the ISN exhorted the WHO and its member states to improve the prevention of kidney disease by routinely assessing kidney function and albuminuria in people with cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes to favor early diagnosis and treatment.

As a non-state actor in official relations with the WHO, and the world’s only international kidney society, the ISN continues to make its voice count in promoting kidney health worldwide.

An editorial by ISN President Agnes Fogo has been published in the winter edition of the Journal of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (JAAPI).

Read the open-access article here.

“Kidney Disease: The Silent Killer That Needs Our Voice” includes the most recent data on the burden of kidney disease, raising awareness of how its acceleration poses significant healthcare challenges for governments, particularly in low and middle-income countries.

As the only kidney society in official relations with the WHO, the ISN works to address the insufficient political and public discourse on kidney disease and promote prevention and management practices for global implementation.

Members of the African Association of Nephrology (AFRAN) and the ISN Advocacy team collaborated for over a year to finalize the declaration designed to help advocate for better kidney health in Africa.

Access the declaration here.

“The Abidjan Declaration in Support of Kidney Care in the African Continent” was launched during the AFRAN’s 2023 congress in February in Cairo, Egypt.

Kidney health advocates will use the document to engage with national governments and international organizations to make clear the need to prioritize the prevention, detection and treatment of kidney disease in health policies.

The ISN continues to explore new partnership possibilities to advance kidney health on the global NCD agenda and highlight the clinical, economic and social burdens of kidney disease in low and middle-income countries.

By Marina Wainstein, Young Nephrologists Committee chair and ISN Advocacy Working Group member

From January 27 to 30, the World Health Organization in Geneva hosted the inaugural meeting of the WHO Youth Council.

The council was created as a WHO network for stakeholders to amplify young people’s voices and experiences and harness and expand our expertise, energy and ideas to promote public health.

Twenty-two global health and non-health youth organizations, including the ISN and a nominated representative, were selected to join the council.

Organizations serve a two-year mandate, after which new organizations are invited to join the council, ensuring continued inclusivity, diversity and fairness. The ultimate goal of the Youth Council is to raise the profile of youth contributions to public health at every level by driving a global advocacy initiative that is entirely designed and conceived by young people.

On the first day, Dr. Tedros, director-general of the WHO, reminded us that kindness must be at the heart of everything we do and that our mindset – our willingness to re-frame questions and challenges –will ultimately determine the fate of our battles.

Later, the WHO Communications team, led by Gabby Stern, stepped in to welcome and walk us through how the WHO frames and delivers messages, announcements, calls to action and initiatives to its member states and the public.

After lunch at the WHO cafeteria, we mingled with various WHO departments interested in interacting with us as a council and as individual organizations. I spoke at length with the WHO’s Primary Healthcare and Compassionate Leadership department representative about the importance of incorporating kidney disease detection and screening in high-risk populations, citing the gaps established in the Global Kidney Health Atlas.

The representative from the Pharmaceutical Pricing department was similarly aware of the gaps in transplant affordability and essential blood pressure medications for people with kidney diseases in low and middle-income countries.

The second day brought inspiration in the form of our working group sessions. We split into four working groups and chose the following topics: universal health coverage (UHC), meaningful youth engagement (MYE), mental health (MH) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Naturally, as a kidney doctor and advocate, I joined the NCD group alongside representatives from NCD Child, Cancer Europe, Commonwealth Youth Health Network, the Young Professionals Chronic Disease Network (YP-CDN) and Youth for Road Safety (YOUR). We decided to focus on the commercial determinants of health and their role in developing risk factors for NCDs.

We felt that young people were especially vulnerable to the marketing tactics of commercial giants promoting unhealthy fast food, soft drinks, tobacco, and alcohol, as well as the pervasive effect of digital hyperconnectivity on a sedentary lifestyle.

Over the next three days, we put together a proposal to produce a video that would show these effects from a young person’s perspective. The film would target young people and policymakers alike. It would call on young people to express and share their views on how they feel targeted and what they want from elected officials to stop this.

Additionally, we asked that the video be disseminated widely through WHO channels and presented at the next high-level meeting on NCDs. When we presented our pitch to Dr. Tedros on day three, he thanked us for choosing this topic, reassured us that we had full logistic and financial support from the WHO, and asked us to consider starting a grassroots campaign if the video achieved momentum. We now have one year to scope the literature, refine our message, and produce a video. Time to get to work!

The final day coincided with the first day of the WHO Executive Board meeting. We overheard Dr. Tedros’ opening speech with multiple mentions of the importance of youth voices in policymaking. He encouraged member states to interact with us in the afternoon, stating, “We don’t need to engage [young leaders]…we need to partner with them.” This cemented our feeling that our point of view was valued and is urgently needed if policies and initiatives to tackle major global health concerns are to succeed.

As I said goodbye to my 21 new friends, I thought of a phrase often used to disempower young people: “Youth is wasted on the young.” Well, not in this crowd! We have everything we need to create change: passion, empathy, resourcefulness, and the disinhibition to question authorities and shift paradigms. Hopefully, this new partnership is the platform we need to carry our issues forward and make a difference toward achieving #HealthforAll.

World Kidney Day (WKD) 2023 took place on March 9.

The ISN joins WKD organizers in thanking all who supported WKD activities this year to raise awareness of the impact of disastrous events on people living with kidney disease.

WKD’s success relies on the inspiring efforts of healthcare professionals, patients, supporters and the public. Have your experience featured on the WKD website and social media platforms!

• Send pictures of your activity in single files to info@worldkidneyday.org. They will be uploaded to the official WKD gallery.
• Fill in the event report form, which will appear on the WKD impact report page. Innovative and impactful activities described in reports will be added as “best ideas.”
• Use #WorldKidneyDay and tag @WorldKidneyDay on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Youtube in posts about your activity and they will be shared on WKD channels.

The ISN thanks the official WKD 2023 global supporters: Alexion AstraZeneca Rare Disease, Astellas, AstraZeneca, Baxter, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim & Lilly, Calliditas Therapeutics, Chinook Therapeutics, CSL Vifor, Fresenius Kabi, Fresenius Medical Care, GSK, Janssen, Novartis, Otsuka Visterra, Sanofi, Travere Therapeutics, Vera Therapeutics, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

The ISN, in partnership with  Devex, will host its first stand-alone event in Geneva on May 24, 2023, from 9:30 – 10:30 am CET, on the occasion of the 76th World Health Assembly (WHA).

This event aims to raise the profile of kidney disease as a global health priority and make a case for why it can no longer be ignored. With more than five million people dying each year due to a lack of access to kidney care, policymakers must recognize the importance of kidney disease as a global safety concern.

In addition, the event will draw attention to the financial burden of treating kidney disease and the need for increased prevention efforts and research investment, particularly for rare kidney diseases with limited treatment options.

The event will also address the link between kidney diseases and emerging global health threats, such as global warming and environmental change, emphasizing how climate change threatens to increase the incidence and prevalence of kidney disease, disrupt access to care, and widen kidney health inequity.

The event is supported by AstraZeneca and Novartis.

The webinar, “Pros and Cons of Public-Private Partnerships in Developing Dialysis Services in Resource-limited Settings,” took place on February 9, 2023.

Access the recording here.

Establishing dialysis services in any setting can be challenging especially when resources are limited. Public-private partnerships (PPP) are one method of achieving the capital investment required. This webinar focused on what such collaborations can accomplish and provided participants with an in-depth understanding of the benefits and potential drawbacks and how to mitigate these.

The webinar began with a description of a successful PPP in Georgia, followed by short presentations from the speakers who shared experiences from around the world and attempted to define a PPP while recognizing that a definition will differ by jurisdiction.

Key aspects discussed were standards, contracts, the scope of the service, ethics, management of uncontrolled growth, and third-party costs.

Participants submitted questions to the panel speakers, which were addressed at the end of the session.

The webinar is part of the ISN-WHO “Toolkit for Dialysis in Low-resource Settings” and complements the “ISN-WHO Framework for Developing Dialysis in Low-resource Settings.” The event was led by Simon Davies (UK), lead for the ISN-WHO Toolkit on dialysis.

As a European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA) member, the ISN was pleased to partipate in the roundtable, “What Role for the EU in Tackling Inequities in Kidney Care?” hosted by EKHA at the European Parliament in Brussels on November 30, 2022. Vladimir Tesar, ISN Council and Executive Committee member, was there to represent the ISN.

Organized in collaboration with the Czech Society of Nephrology against the backdrop of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the event brought high-level stakeholders together to discuss inequities in access to kidney transplantation and dialysis in Europe and identify policies to benefit kidney patients.

MEPs Kateřina Konečná, member of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic, and Ondřej Knotek, co-chair of the MEP Group for Kidney Health, urged for more attention to kidney disease within the European institutions. MEP Knotek commented, “There is a problem of awareness; MEPs voting on health issues need to know more about kidney disease.”

The meeting also shed light on the critical state of kidney care during emergencies, with a presentation from Dmytro Ivanov, president of the Ukrainian Association of Nephrologists.

The difficulties kidney patients face accessing medicine and dialysis in some European countries were also discussed. The European Kidney Patients’ Federation’s secretary, Jan van Cruchten, encouraged European institutions to work together to address this long-standing issue by creating “a medical program to give patients the right to get the medicine and treatment they need in all EU countries.”

With momentum building at the EU level, the ISN will continue to work alongside the EKHA and other partners to help develop forward-looking policy solutions to improve the lives of people with kidney diseases in Europe and elsewhere.

The ISN submitted a video statement to the World Health Organisation’s intergovernmental negotiating body (INB) in support of global kidney health during pandemics, calling on member states to prioritize ongoing prevention, screening, and treatment for kidney disease in national COVID-19 response and recovery plans.

Delivered at the INB’s second round of public hearings held in September, the statement was recorded by Dr. Jorge Cerdá, current chair of the ISN Advocacy Working Group. It responded to the question: “Based on your experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, what do you believe should be addressed at the international level to better protect against future pandemics?”

This follows statements delivered at a pre-meeting of the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA): A joint statement submitted by the ISN and the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health (GCCH) to the WHO 150th Executive Board Meeting on the need to prioritize prevention, screening, and treatment for circulatory conditions in national COVID-19 response and recovery plans, and an ISN Statement on the need to prioritize kidney disease in public health emergency preparedness and response planning.

Building on these recent statements and the WHA’s decision to establish an intergovernmental negotiating body to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement, or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, the ISN reiterates its invitation to WHO Executive Board members and other key countries to meet and discuss how to help the INB negotiate an international instrument to grant future generations of kidney patients more security to in the face of a pandemic.

The ISN took part in the 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific, which took place online and in person in Manila, the Philippines, from October 24 to 28, 2022.

As a non-state actor in official relations with the WHO, the ISN submitted two statements ahead of the meeting, calling for a comprehensive approach to preventing and controlling noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and access to healthcare for all.

Home to more than a quarter of the world’s population, the Western Pacific region bears a disproportionate burden of NCDs. Though largely preventable, these diseases were responsible for 12 million deaths in 2019, of which 330 000 were due to chronic kidney disease.

Despite progress in the region, activities tackling NCDs still focus on the four major contributors: cancer, heart and lung diseases, and diabetes. They fail to consider the significant burden of other NCDs closely linked to these conditions.

Kidney disease is strongly associated with hypertension and diabetes. It is often overlooked and untreated due to a lack of early detection programs, resulting in inadequate management of hypertension and diabetes.

The ISN continues to call on the WHO and its member states to recognize the synergy between major and other noncommunicable diseases and the need for an integrated approach to tackling them, which leaves no patient behind.

Fiona Loud, policy director at Kidney Care UK and member of the ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group, was a key speaker at the ISN webinar, “Nuances in Nephrology: Parenthood With Advanced Kidney Disease or Transplantation,” held in October.

Liz Lightstone, an ISN Executive Committee member whose research focuses on pregnancy in women with kidney disease, joined Ms. Loud to discuss the barriers and anxieties that often prevent men and women with kidney disease from pursuing parenthood. The webinar was moderated by Vincent Lee.

Despite improvements in obstetrical and perinatal care and advances in the understanding of risks related to pregnancy, people living with kidney disease still face many obstacles when considering parenthood and rarely find the support they need when planning pregnancy.

The webinar is part of a series of educational activities organized by the ISN based on the article “Parenthood with Kidney Failure: Answering Questions Patients Ask About Pregnancy,” published in Kidney International Reports earlier this year to help nephrologists guiding patients when planning for parenthood.

In addition to the webinar, the ISN held a Twitter Space and Tweetorial and produced an infographic highlighting the latest information on pregnancy and kidney diseases for patients and doctors.

Building on the valuable efforts of all Patient Liaison Advisory Group members, recently joined by Mr. Ahmad Mussayev from Kazakhstan, the ISN continues working toward increased consideration of the needs and perspectives of those living with kidney disease in the design and implementation of health policies worldwide.

The 2023 World Kidney Day (2023) campaign, “Kidney Health for All – Preparing for the unexpected, supporting the vulnerable!” focuses on raising awareness of the impact disastrous events have on people living with kidney disease whose access to appropriate diagnostic services, treatment, and care may be hindered.

To facilitate the campaign’s reach, the WKD theme, call-to-action, logos, and 2023 visuals are available in different languages, including Arabic, Chinese (simple and  traditional), French,  German, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swahili!

WKD’s online presence is crucial to raising awareness about kidney health! The WKD 2023 social media toolkit is now available. It contains information and resources to expand your social media campaign with tips on engaging your audience by joining the #ShowYourKidneys challenge, sharing stories on Facebook and Instagram, and other ideas.

WKD takes place on March 9, 2023 – explore the suggested activities here and use the 2023 resources to promote the WKD 2023 message worldwide.

The Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group (DICG) participated in the 29^th International Congress of The Transplantation Society (TTS 2022), which took place last September in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The DICG presented a joint session with the TTS, “TTS-DICG on Organ Trade, Trafficking and Transplant Tourism: Government’s and Scientific Societies’ Responsibilities.” Key speakers included Elmi Muller, Sanjay Nagral and Efstratios Chatzixiros (WHO), alongside a roundtable of high-level panelists.

Registered attendees can view the recorded presentation by logging in here.

The DICG also hosted a half-day workshop at the congress, “Transplantation in the Context of Migration and Refugees.”

Watch a recording of the workshop here.

Key speakers at the workshop included Sylwia Gawronska (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), Beatriz Dominguez-Gil, Jolanta Malyszko, Antoine Barbari, Riadh Fadhil, Peter Stock, Alejandro Niño Murica, and Toby Coates.

We are pleased to announce that ISN Young Nephrologists Committee (YNC) member, Marina Wainstein, has been selected to serve on the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General’s Youth Council for a term of two years.

At the Youth Council, Marina Wainstein will engage with young people from health and non-health backgrounds worldwide to advise the Director-General on global health issues. She will join monthly meetings with other young skilled professionals to discuss relevant topics and new initiatives and build connections. This role places her in a prime position to continue raising awareness of the growing burden of kidney disease and the need to prioritize kidney health on the global NCD agenda.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus comments, “Young people are less at risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19 but will be the most affected by the long-term consequences of the pandemic, which will shape the world they live and work in for decades to come”. To this end, “The WHO Youth Council has been set up to hear their voices and experiences, and to harness and expand their energy and ideas to promote and protect health for all.”

World Kidney Day 2023 will be celebrated on Thursday, March 9.

As announced in May, the World Kidney Day (WKD) Steering Committee has declared 2023 the year of Kidney Health for All – Preparing for the unexpected, supporting the vulnerable!

In emergencies, people with kidney disease are among the most vulnerable due to their ongoing requirements for consistent, coordinated care. The 2023 campaign will focus on raising awareness about the needs and challenges of this susceptible group.

The campaign encourages policymakers, health care services, governments, industry, and people living with kidney disease to prepare for unexpected events to avoid disruption to diagnosis, treatment, and care.

Find out everything you need to know about WKD 2023 here.

Be prepared and show support: Join us in raising awareness of the impact disastrous events have on people living with kidney disease – use and share the 2023 WKD banners on your website and social media channels to let your community know that the WKD 2023 campaign has officially launched.

The “ISN Framework for Developing Dialysis Programs in Low-Resource Settings,” developed as part of the ISN’s work as a non-state actor in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO), has also been published in French and can be consulted here. 

The framework, first launched at the World Congress of Nephrology 2021 (WCN’21), outlines the requirements and operational considerations for setting up or expanding dialysis programs in resource-constrained locations. It is intended as a guide to support WHO member states in developing sustainable strategies for treating patients with kidney failure.

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure is increasing worldwide, and KD-related mortality is projected to be the fifth leading cause of death by 2040. The number of people receiving kidney replacement therapy is projected to reach 5.4 million by 2030. Advancing care for CKD patients is therefore essential to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.4 to reduce premature mortality due to NCDs by one-third by 2030.

The ISN is pleased to equip French-speaking WHO member states with the knowledge to implement multi-sectoral policies to reduce the main risk factors common to all NCDs and develop kidney replacement therapy programs that include kidney transplantation and conservative kidney management. Bonne lecture!

Please join us in congratulating current ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group member Ms. Vasundhara Raghavan, CEO and founder of Kidney Warriors Foundation, who recently presented her experience as a kidney patient and advocate at the AAKP 4^th Annual Global Summit on Kidney Innovations.

Congratulations are also due to ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group’s past Chair, Mr. Manvir Victor, who recently succeeded in climbing Malaysia’s tallest peak to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation in the country.

Climbing Mount Kinabalu on the 10th anniversary of his life-changing kidney transplant, Mr. Victor stated that the climb was “far less than the pain and suffering I endured during my ten years on dialysis.”

In line with the principles of the Declaration of Istanbul, Mr. Victor has been guiding ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group members to advocate for policies to increase the rate of organ donation and transplantation in different parts of the world. Mr. Victor is working to meet the national need for organ transplantation in Malaysia and campaigning to change the country’s donor system from opt-in to opt-out.

With Mr. Victor now handing over his chair role to Mr. Joab Wako from Kenya and Mr. Bill Wang joining the group as the new North East Asia representative, the ISN continues working toward increased consideration of the needs and perspectives of those living with kidney disease in the design and implementation of health policies worldwide.

The ISN has officially submitted its list of comments on the recently published 2^nd draft of the updated Appendix 3 to the Global Action Plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) 2013–2030 (also known as the NCD “best buys” and other recommended interventions) to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Designed to support the implementation of the action plan’s six objectives, Appendix 3 outlines policy options and cost-effective interventions Member States should prioritize to prevent and control NCDs.

Following an initial consultation with non-state actors in 2016, this second round of input takes new evidence of cost-effectiveness and WHO recommendations into account and seeks to refine some interventions based on lessons learned from the use of previous versions.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is still not included among the NCDs explicitly targeted by the WHO Global Action Plan, even though it affects approximately 850 million people. This presents an enormous burden for healthcare systems and negatively impacts health outcomes of other major NCDs, namely diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). To this end, the ISN reiterated its demands from the previous consultation, suggesting several kidney-disease-specific interventions and kidney disease risk assessments for CVD or hypertension patients.

While supporting the goals and implementation of the Global Action Plan, the ISN continues working alongside the WHO and other partners such as the NCD Alliance to make kidney health a priority on the global NCD agenda and to emphasize the clinical, economic and social burdens of kidney disease, at present frequently underestimated.

The ISN is pleased to announce its participation in the hybrid roundtable, ‘Quality of Life in Dialysis Care,’ which will be hosted in Madrid by our partner, the European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA), on September 29, 2022.

The event is organized as a follow-up to the European Kidney Patients’ Federation’s White Paper on Living Better with CKD (2021) to discuss and identify ways to improve the quality of life for patients on dialysis. High-level stakeholders will come together to discuss concrete policies to benefit kidney patients throughout Europe, allowing ISN members to express their views and concerns on the topic.

As noted by nephrologist and member of the European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association Dr. Philippe Chauveau, “dialysis is a successful treatment, but it is not a cure. It offers the possibility that one’s health condition will not worsen in the coming years”.

Dialysis is very time-consuming for patients, who face multiple burdens and often give up on some parts of their lives, including work. However, some modifications could improve their experience. The main priority appears to be determining the optimal length of time and frequency of hemodialysis for individual patients to reduce itching, fatigue, and restless legs.

With momentum building at the EU level, the ISN is committed to working alongside the EKHA to help develop forward-looking policy solutions to improve the lives of people suffering from kidney disease and secure an effective inclusion of patient voices in the design and implementation of health policies worldwide.

The ISN attended the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva from May 22 to 28, 2022, where delegates met in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Working alongside partners in the Global Coalition of Circulatory Health, the ISN co-signed two separate constituency statements calling on Member States to prioritize kidney disease and circulatory conditions in national COVID-19 response and recovery plans and to prevent and control non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at all levels and at all times through pandemic and conflict.

In addition, the ISN submitted a unilateral statement reiterating these petitions and calling for increased public knowledge of kidney disease prevalence, comorbidities, and risk factors, and the need for priority vaccination for kidney patients.

With the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacting people with kidney disease and other NCDs, the ISN and its partners urged the Member States to prioritize these patients in national preparedness, response, readiness, and coordination planning, emphasizing the need to involve experienced personnel in the development of health services. The ISN also held discussions with several Member States to discuss government engagement and propose strategies for prioritizing kidney patients in health emergency planning.

The 75^th WHA adopted the proposed resolution on the prevention and control of NCDs and approved a global implementation roadmap to accelerate action on NCDs.

Paving the way for these results, the ISN had previously submitted a statement calling for the prioritization of kidney disease and other circulatory conditions in national preparedness and response planning at a preparatory meeting of the 75th WHA. The appeal was made on behalf of kidney patients worldwide still experiencing disproportionate physical, psychological and financial effects due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ISN will continue to build on these advances to help make health systems more resilient and achieve SDG 3.4 by raising awareness of kidney diseases and other NCDs at global and national levels during conflicts and health emergencies.

The WKD 2022 campaign focusing on increasing education and awareness of kidney health at all levels of kidney care will shortly come to an end. The recently published 2022 impact report presents more than 1,300 WKD activities held in over 90 countries to raise kidney health awareness.

The WKD campaign continues to grow in impact thanks to dedicated efforts from members of the public and health care professionals worldwide, with over 526 million people on social media reached through #worldkidneyday and related messages.

Other outstanding achievements from the 2022 campaign include:

• The #ShowYourKidneys challenge – reaching 12.4 million people online and on social media
• The WKD toolkit – downloaded over 6,000 times
• Media coverage of the campaign in more than 29 countries, with the WKD 2022 scientific editorial published in more than 20 journals

The Champions’ regional reports present accounts from some of the 136 committed champions from 65 countries who boosted the campaign’s impact through fun activities, generating political momentum and media coverage.

The ISN thanks everyone who participated in the 2022 WKD campaign.

Join us for WKD 2023 on March 9!

Looking ahead, the 2023 WKD theme, a timely call to action, was officially announced at the end of May: “Kidney Health for All – Preparing for the unexpected, supporting the vulnerable!”

Stay tuned for updates on the campaign’s launch in September.

“Global Kidney Policy Forum 2022: Building Healthier Sustainable Communities to Safeguard Kidney Health” summarizes the principal kidney-related challenges affecting the ISN Oceania and South-East Asia region and provides concrete proposals to deliver best-practice kidney care, as outlined by speakers at the Global Kidney Policy Forum (GKPF’22).

Download the full report

The ISN hosted the GKPF’22 in February as part of the World Congress of Nephrology (WCN’22). The meeting brought key decision-makers and stakeholders together to address the burden of kidney diseases and discuss policies to improve their prevention and management. Key speakers included Dr. Slim Slama, unit head of the WHO’s NCD Department, Dr. Ong Loke Meng, national head of Nephrology Service for the Ministry of Health Malaysia, Dr. Amrish Krishnan, a nephrologist at Fiji’s Colonial War Memorial Hospital, and Mr. Manvir Victor, kidney patient advocate.

The ISN will be working with partners in the region to motivate policymakers and politicians to become agents of change in delivering equitable access to kidney care, stressing the importance of continued commitment to the adherence to and advancement of the 12 Recommendations to Global Kidney Health to improve kidney care.

The emphasis will be on translating the forum’s recommendations into reality to address the significant variations in the accessibility, affordability, and quality of care throughout the region in line with Dr. Amrish Krishnan’s powerful call to action during the forum that: “The sustainability of any health program depends on multiple stakeholders. These include the role of government and its commitment to funding and infrastructure development, the perception and compliance of the end- users, the patients, and the role of non-governmental organizations. But the most important ingredient to a sustainable health service is the commitment and dedication of its health champions.”

Mr. Joab Wako (Kenya), a kidney transplant recipient and member of the ISN’s Patient Liaison Advisory Group, took part in the World Health Organization (WHO) Informal Consultation with People Living with NCDs (PLWNCDs) and Mental Health Conditions (MHCs) in the African Region. His attendance provided representation for people living with kidney diseaseand highlighted kidney health on the international health agenda.

Organized to support the co-creation and co-development of a “Framework for Meaningful Engagement of PLWNCDs and MHCs,” the event provided a platform for patients like Mr. Wako to guide WHO and Member States in co-designing NCD and MH policies, programs, and principles in close synergy with those with lived experience.

Attending a mixture of presentations, discussions and breakout sessions, Mr. Wako connected with PLWNCDs and MHCs, including individuals with psychosocial disabilities, across the African Region, exchanging valuable knowledge and expertise that the ISN will employ and build on in future work.

The ISN considers patient participation in healthcare-related decision-making essential in shaping effective healthcare systems, firmly supporting WHO’s 1978 Alma Ata Declaration that “people have the right and duty to participate individually and collectively in the planning and implementation of their health care.” As such, in November 2021, we launched the Patient Liaison Advisory Group, of which Mr. Wako is the representative for the African region, to help give kidney patient voices a prominent role in designing and implementing the policies that directly affect their lives.

Appreciating the WHO’s concrete steps toward making the voices of PLWNCDs and MHCs heard, Mr. Wako and the ISN fully supported the emphasis on the need to recognize lived experience as complementary expertise to doctors and experts and the guarantee to integrate mental health services into NCD treatments.

Equally noteworthy was the suggestion to learn from the HIV/AIDS movement in dealing with stigma and discrimination to reduce the burden of kidney disease and other chronic conditions, as pointed out by Dr. Akpaka.

The ISN will continue working alongside the WHO and kidney patients to secure an effective inclusion of their voices and needs in the design and implementation of health policies at national and international levels.

The ISN’s partner, the European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA), alongside the MEP Group for Kidney Health, held its annual European Kidney Forum on June 15, bringing together high-level stakeholders to discuss concrete policies to benefit people living with kidney disease throughout Europe.

“The Decade of the Kidney: 10 years to bring innovative and green treatments to kidney patients in Europe” was organized as part of EKHA’s Decade of the Kidney campaign. Discussions focused on identifying challenges with current kidney disease treatments from a patient, societal and environmental perspective and exploring ways to facilitate innovation.

With thought-provoking input from European patients, policymakers, healthcare professionals and scientists, the forum highlighted the association between current treatments for kidney patients and environmental pollution, accentuating the active role the European Union can play to scale up green innovation in kidney disease treatments over the next ten years.

The ISN was pleased to hear contributions from key speakers MEP Hilde Vautmans and MEP Jutta Paulus, chair and member of the MEP Group for Kidney Health. Inspiring examples and success stories from the United States with US policymakers and patients were also welcome, notably a testimony from Emily Petrides, vice-president of the European Kidney Patients’ Federation, on her experience as a kidney patient. 

With momentum building at the EU level, the ISN is committed to working alongside the EKHA to help develop forward-looking policy solutions to improve the lives of people suffering from kidney disease and overcome the environmental challenges involved in providing care.

The ISN participated in an exchange on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and cancer organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) Representation Office to the EU, held at its headquarters in Brussels on May 17, 2022.

ISN representatives made an urgent call to the WHO to include kidney disease detection in Appendix 3 of the WHO Global NCD Action Plan and to recognize CKD as a major health burden for patients and society. The appeal was made to an audience of high-level WHO personnel, including Oxana Domenti, WHO representative to the EU, Dr. Bente Mikkelsen, director of the WHO NCDs Department, and Dr. Nino Berdzuli, director of the WHO/EURO Country Health Programmes Division.

The ISN welcomed the WHO’s expression of interest to work together on a kidney disease stand-alone framework. CKD is generally considered in association with other diseases, mainly diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and access to cost-effective treatment options is still not currently available in all EU Member States.

We will continue collaborating alongside the WHO and its member states to help develop timely and effective policy solutions to help improve the lives of kidney disease patients throughout the world, with a special focus on the least developed countries.

The ISN, as a board member of the European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA), worked to secure a historic debate on chronic kidney disease (CKD) at the European Parliament (EP) Plenary session on March 10, 2022.

Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, addressed Members of the EP (MEPs), stressing the importance of kidney health. She outlined incidences of CKD currently affecting about one in ten Europeans, with the burden expected to grow as diabetes and hypertension, the two leading causes of kidney disease, become more prevalent in Europe. She added that the COVID-19 pandemic had a heavy toll on patients with CKD, having a higher risk of suffering severe adverse outcomes if infected.

Ms. Kyriakides informed parliament that the European Commission is implementing effective programs to prevent kidney disease by tackling its root causes. These include the EU initiatives “Healthier Together,” “Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan,” and “EU4Health,” as well as programs such as “Horizon Europe” (2020 and 2021), which directly addresses kidney disease management, technology and devices, and boosting research in the field.

All the MEPs concurred that CKD is an important issue affecting millions of Europeans and stressed the need for the EU to focus on prevention and early diagnosis.

The ISN will build on this new momentum to create increased awareness of kidney diseases alongside MEPs and work toward obtaining concrete policy outcomes from the European Commission.

Watch a recording of the debate here.

The Professor Donal O’Donoghue, Global Kidney Policy Forum: Building Healthier Sustainable Communities to Safeguard Kidney Health, held virtually, brought together key decision-makers and stakeholders, including WHO representatives, local politicians, patients, and internationally renowned kidney care professionals at the World Congress of Nephrology 2022.

In line with the 12 Recommendations to Global Kidney Health, speakers addressed the burden of kidney diseases in the Southeast Asia region and discussed policies and strategies to improve kidney care and prevention at regional and global levels. Keynote speakers included:

• Dr. Ong Loke Meng, National Head of Nephrology Service for the Ministry of Health Malaysia
• Dr. Slim Slama, Unit Head, Noncommunicable Diseases Management-Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (MND), at the World Health Organization
• Mr. Manvir Victor, kidney patient, patient advocate, and inaugural chair of the ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group
• Dr. Amrish Krishnan, a Fijian nephrologist who set up the first kidney hospital in Fiji

The ISN will be working with local partners toward applying the forum’s recommendations and helping address the significant variations in the accessibility, affordability, and quality of care throughout this region.

Watch the event here.

The ISN’s Patient Liaison Advisory Group was officially launched at the World Congress of Nephrology 2022.

Mr. Manvir Victor, inaugural chair of the group and a patient advocate from Malaysia, presented the group’s mission statement:

‘Created in 2021, the ISN’s Patient Liaison Advisory Group represents the inter-continental diversity of kidney patients with one representative from each of the society’s ten regions. Its mission is to advise and guide the ISN so that the patient perspective becomes embedded within our work, shaping health initiatives and research programs so that they tackle the global burden of kidney disease.’

After other group members had presented their kidney health experiences and hopes, Mr. Victor concluded by stating that “Healthcare needs help, and there are so many impassioned patients who are willing to join and assist. Together with my other patient advocacy compatriots locally and internationally, we will continue to knock.”

Watch the event here and read more on the launch and WCN’22 here.

The ISN launched its first Advocacy and Policy Course – New Skills for the Modern Nephrologist at WCN’22.

Watch the course content here.

The course covered the principles and practicalities of designing and conducting effective advocacy campaigns to equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and techniques to advocate successfully at all levels of policymaking.

Internationally renowned kidney health advocates introduced the concept of advocacy and provided real-life success stories from kidney care campaigns in different countries. The course emphasized the importance of aligning advocacy strategies with patient perspectives and the need to skilfully present data to policymakers.

On March 10, the ISN, together with the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) and the European Renal Association (ERA), released a joint statement, “Global Kidney Organizations Appeal for Kidney Health for All War Victims,” expressing our concern for the health and safety of all people, including those with kidney diseases, kidney failure, and kidney transplants in Ukraine and all war-torn countries.

The ISN issued an official statement offering its availability to facilitate communication and advocate for the health and safety of all healthcare professionals and their patients in Ukraine.

It is providing open access to the Seminars in Nephrology July 2020 issue on “Conflict Nephrology,” available on the Seminars in Nephrology website and ScienceDirect.

In addition, the ISN co-signed the European Kidney Patients’ Federation’s (EKHA) open letter alongside the EU commissioner for health and food safety. The ISN supported EKHA in developing and publishing “Wars and kidney patients: a statement by the European Kidney Health Alliance related to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.”

The ISN submitted three statements supporting global kidney health, as a co- and sole-signatory, to the 150th session of the World Health Organization’s Executive Board, held in January.

Working alongside partners in the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health (GCCH), the ISN co-signed a statement on WHO’s work in health emergencies, calling on member states to prioritize ongoing prevention, screening, and treatment for circulatory conditions in national COVID-19 response and recovery plans.

The ISN signed a joint statement along with several global aid organizations; World Vision International, March of Dimes, Nutrition International, Save the Children, International Rescue Committee, Micronutrient Forum, Water Aid, and the Global Health Council. The statement on maternal, infant, and young child nutrition urges member states to promote chronic kidney disease screening and prevention to avoid the development of anemia.

The ISN was the sole signatory of “Draft recommendations on how to strengthen the design and implementation of policies, including those for resilient health systems and health services and infrastructure, to treat people living with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and to prevent and control their risk factors in humanitarian emergencies,” advising member states to:

• Integrate essential medication and diagnostics for kidney disease into existing NCD emergency plans
• Increase investment in such plans to ensure access to high-quality, essential services for people living with kidney disease in humanitarian emergencies

The ISN is currently inviting WHO Executive Board members and other key countries to discuss negotiating a global accord to help keep future generations of kidney patients safer from the impact of pandemics. This initiative follows ISN’s work with the GCCH on the above-mentioned joint statement and the publication, “Preventing the Next Pandemic: The Case for Investing in Circulatory Health – A Global Coalition for Circulatory Health Position Paper.” It also builds on the World Health Assembly’s historic decision to establish an intergovernmental negotiating body to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement, or another international instrument, on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

The ISN supports the Medical Emoji Campaign and petition for the creation and inclusion of a kidney emoji.

Emojis have become an integral part of modern communication. Medical emoji already exist for the brain, anatomical heart, lungs, and X-ray. However, emoji for crucial organs such as the kidney do not yet exist. A more consistent set of medically accurate emoji, including a kidney emoji, is important for patient communication, patient care, and for representing health in a modern and accessible way.

Please do share this campaign and petition within your networks and on social media. You can find social media resources here and like and re-share ISN’s tweet here.

The ISN encourages all to sign the petition calling for a kidney emoji here.

The link between kidney diseases and hypertension has been well documented, necessitating global awareness on blood pressure management and prevention. The World Hypertension League marked World Kidney Day enthusiastically alongside the ISN and advocates for kidney health on World Hypertension Day. These campaigns help raise awareness that strategies for hypertension control also improve renal function and reduce the risk of kidney diseases.

Recognizing that such education initiatives are most effective early in life, the World Hypertension League has launched the Children’s Art Program “Promoting Healthy Lifestyles.” The campaign focuses on blood pressure awareness and prevention of kidney, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases. Young artists can submit artworks illustrating the importance of a healthy lifestyle that will be exhibited on World Hypertension Day on May 17, 2022.

World Kidney Day (WKD) took place on March 10.

Public and media attention for the WKD 2022 campaign attained notable reach:

• WKD content reached more than 447 million people on March 10 on Twitter with #worldkidneyday gaining over 172 million impressions
• The WKD website was viewed almost 125 000 times
• The official WKD press release was published by 409 news outlets – a potential reach of 228 million viewers

ISN President, Professor Agnes Fogo, marked the day by speaking at the “Chronic Kidney Disease Summit” convened by AstraZeneca at Expo 2020 Dubai. Her talk was part of a session highlighting the need for policymakers and healthcare systems to help reduce the burden of CKD.

A special CKD plenary session was held in the European Parliament alongside WKD partners from the European Kidney Health Alliance, attended by the European Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakidis.

The European Director for Public Health, the EU presidency (via the French Minister for Health), and five members of the European Parliament presented video messages in support of the occasion. The United Nations and the WHO supported the day on social media for the third consecutive year.

Discover the global impact of the 2022 campaign and include your event on the WKD website:

• Access or upload to the WKD activity map; high-impact activities are highlighted as “best ideas”
• Browse or add to the 2022 campaign photostream gallery
• Complete an activity report to help gauge the campaign reach.

World Kidney Day’s success relies on the inspiring efforts of health care professionals, patients, and the public. The ISN joins WKD organizers in thanking all those who supported WKD activities this year.

The ISN also thanks the official WKD 2022 global supporters: Astellas, AstraZeneca, Baxter, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Boehringer Ingelheim & Lilly, Calliditas Therapeutics, Chinook Therapeutics, Fresenius Kabi, Fresenius Medical Care, GSK, Janssen, Novartis, Sanofi, Travere Therapeutics, Vera Therapeutics, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Vifor Pharma.

ISN’s Patient Liaison Advisory Group held its inaugural meeting on November 15. This group, composed of a patient representative from each of the ten ISN regions, will support ISN’s efforts to shape policies to tackle kidney disease worldwide.

The ISN considers patient participation in healthcare-related decision-making to be essential in shaping effective healthcare systems. It firmly supports WHO’s 1978 Alma Ata Declaration that “people have the right and duty to participate individually and collectively in the planning and implementation of their health care.”

Health services need to be inclusive, established by and for the communities they serve. With over 850 million people living with kidney diseases and a disproportionate impact from the pandemic and climate change on this group, kidney patient voices must be audible and play a prominent role in designing and implementing the policies that directly affect their lives.

The official launch of the Patient Liaison Advisory Group will take place at the World Congress of Nephrology 2022.

The 2022 World Kidney Day (WKD) campaign, launched on September 16, declared 2022 the year of “Kidney Health for All.” The campaign focuses on increasing education on and awareness of kidney health and reducing the knowledge gap in understanding chronic kidney disease (CKD).

CKD is common, affecting one out of ten adults worldwide, and harmful –  if left untreated, it can be deadly. However, a lack of knowledge on this condition prevents progress in reducing mortality rates. The WKD 2022 campaign calls on kidney health stakeholders, healthcare professionals and authorities, and others who want to make a difference to engage with the campaign to help bridge this gap.

Every year, WKD is celebrated worldwide on the second Thursday in March with countless local and national events. These activities include dedicated runs, webinars, art exhibitions, charity dinners, WKD color displays, and dozens of other celebrations. This year, WKD takes place on March 10, so explore the list of suggested activities here and use the free resources to communicate the WKD 2022 message worldwide.

The ISN was delighted to collaborate with the NCD Alliance in a film produced for AstraZeneca by BBC Storyworks Commercial Productions to raise awareness of kidney health worldwide as part of “Facing Forward,” a series of films and articles raising the profile of noncommunicable diseases by hearing directly from patients around the world.

The ISN President, Professor Agnes B. Fogo, features in the film on chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the series. She explains the vital role that kidneys play in the body’s overall health and how preventive measures are the only option available to reduce the onset of kidney disease.

Awareness-raising is especially important for timely identification, appropriate intervention, and proper treatment because of the “silent” nature of kidney diseases. Kidney patients often lose up to 90% of their kidney function before experiencing any symptoms of kidney disease. Up to 82% of people with stage 3 CKD are undiagnosed, while half remain undiagnosed even at stage 4-5 when symptoms typically become apparent.

Patient ambassadors Abigail Ashley (Ghana), Fabrice Huré (France), Miracle Okon Ekpo (Nigeria), and Vicki Grey (Australia) share their stories in an article produced for AstraZeneca by BBC StoryWorks highlighting the global experience of CKD.

The ISN, a member of the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health (GCCH) Leadership Group, jointly published with the GCCH the position paper, “Preventing the next pandemic: The case for investing in circulatory health,” presenting a clear rationale and actionable proposals for WHO member states to address circulatory health in their emergency preparedness plans.

Members of the GCCH had previously presented a statement at the 74th World Health Assembly (WHA) in May 2021, in light of the devastating physical, mental, and fiscal impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on millions of people living with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and their greater risk for severe forms of COVID-19.

Following the WHA’s decision to reconvene later in the year to discuss a formal instrument for improving global pandemic preparedness, the GCCH decided to expand on the joint statement and develop a position paper. This paper calls for the development and inclusion of effective strategies to address circulatory health in emergency preparedness plans and includes a set of recommendations to support WHO Member States in taking concrete steps toward a pandemic-free future.

A high-level GCCH webinar marked the launch of the position paper on October 12, 2021. The welcome remarks, delivered by the World Heart Federation President Fausto Pinto, and the World Health Organisation Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, were followed by two panel discussions on the correlation between COVID-19 and circulatory health and the transformations and investment needed to help tackle the consequences. The ISN’s immediate Past President, Vivekanand Jha, moderated the session alongside the Executive Director of the Framework Convention Alliance, Leslie Rae Ferat.

The “ISN Framework for Developing Dialysis Programs in Low-Resource Settings,” developed as part of the ISN’s work plan as a non-state actor in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO), has now also been published on the WHO official website page on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

The framework outlines the requirements and operational considerations for setting up or expanding dialysis programs in resource-constrained settings and is intended as a guide to support WHO member states in developing sustainable strategies to treat patients with kidney failure. It was developed with guidance and technical reviews by WHO staff and launched at the ISN’s Global Kidney Policy Forum during the World Congress of Nephrology 2021.

The WHO’s recognition of the importance of the framework is essential to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.4, which seeks to reduce early death from NCDs by one-third by 2030. This goal can only be achieved by improving treatment for all patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

The framework aims to equip WHO member states with the right knowledge to implement multi-sectoral policies to reduce the main risk factors common to all NCDs and develop kidney replacement therapy programs that include kidney transplantation and conservative kidney management.

During the launch of the WHO Guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of hypertension in adults on August 25, 2021, ISN’s immediate Past President, Professor Vivekanand Jha, explained the strong interconnection between kidney diseases and hypertension and the importance of the WHO guidelines to manage and treat the condition.

The WHO guidelines provide concrete recommendations to address the increasing burden of hypertension with specific relevance to low- and middle-income countries. High blood pressure is widespread, with between 6-9 out of every ten people developing high blood pressure during their lifetime. Hypertension can cause kidney disease, worsen pre-existing kidney diseases, and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, the leading cause of death and disability worldwide.

With new data emerging linking climate change and kidney disease,  the ISN appreciated the opportunity to respond to the consultation on the draft COP26 Special Report on Climate Change and Health, ‘The Health Argument for Climate Action.’

New data demonstrates that climate change and its consequences, notably the increased frequency and intensity of heatwaves, rising temperatures, and the spread of parasitic and tropical diseases, can increase the risk factors associated with kidney disease. Therefore, the ISN called on leaders at COP26 to commit to building climate-resilient and sustainable health systems, secure global net-zero by 2050, and pursue the Paris Agreement’s goal to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees.

The ISN urged leaders to recognize the vulnerability of patients with kidney diseases and people working in hot temperatures and to use these measures to protect their communities from the devastating consequences of climate change.

Presenting remotely, Professor Robyn Langham, member of the ISN’s Advocacy Working Group and ISN co-chair of the Joint Steering Committee-WKD, delivered a statement and video “Preventing the Next Pandemic: the Case for Investing in Circulatory Health” at the 72nd World Health Organization Regional Committee for the Western Pacific, held in Himeji, Japan, from October 25-29, 2021.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic impact on people suffering from kidney disease who are at greater risk of severe consequences and death if they catch the virus. Simultaneously, the burden of COVID-19 and the measures necessary to retard its progression have significantly impacted health systems and patients’ ability to access vital medical care such as dialysis.

The ISN called on WHO member states to mitigate the impact of any future pandemic on kidney patients by preventing, screening, and treating for circulatory conditions, recommending increased investment in targeted policies to tackle cardiovascular disease and non-communicable disease risk factors, and the inclusion of indicators on circulatory disease prevalence, comorbidities, and risk factors into measures of pandemic readiness, resilience, and response.

The ISN welcomed the opportunity to provide feedback on the WHO Discussion Paper: “Draft recommendations to strengthen and monitor diabetes responses within national noncommunicable disease programmes.”

Given the strong causal relationship between diabetes and kidney failure and the significant mortality impact and economic consequences of diabetes, the ISN encouraged WHO Member States to increase health system capacity to detect, diagnose, and manage diabetes as well as to scale-up health promotion efforts to prevent diabetes, particularly among young people.

Diabetes-related mortality continues to rise,  and the number of people living with diabetes has tripled over the last 20 years, with over 500 million people affected worldwide. Efforts to prevent and control diabetes can positively impact kidney health. In 2017, 1.2 million people died directly from chronic kidney disease, an increase of 34% since 2007. One-third of these deaths were from diabetic kidney disease, which has increased by 23% for type 1 and 41% for type 2 diabetes in the last decade.

The ISN hosted the European Kidney Health Alliance’s (EKHA) Board of Directors at its headquarters in Brussels on September 21-22, 2021. EKHA leaders met virtually with the members of the European Parliament Group for Kidney Health (MEP) to discuss the role of the European Union in promoting kidney health and improving access to kidney disease treatment in low- and middle-income countries through its Africa-EU and Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) partnerships.

With the future EU/ACP agreement set to enter into force on December 1, committing both parties to promote universal health coverage and access to safe, effective, quality-controlled, and affordable medicines and vaccines, the ISN called on the EU to help ensure that kidney health becomes a priority in these efforts.

The EKHA urged the MEP Group for Kidney Health to help develop forward-looking policy solutions within EU programs to better integrate and recognize chronic kidney disease. They recommended improving EU screening programs for kidneys and other noncommunicable diseases, promoting transplantation and home-based therapies to improve patients’ quality of life, and expanding research and funding for better innovation in kidney replacement therapy.

The ISN is pleased to present the report, “Global Kidney Policy Forum 2021: Focus on North America and the Caribbean,” which summarizes the principal kidney-related challenges affecting the ISN North America and Caribbean region and provides concrete proposals to deliver best-practice kidney care, as outlined by speakers at the Global Kidney Policy Forum (GKPF’21).

Download the full report

The ISN hosted the GKPF’21 in April as part of the Virtual World Congress of Nephrology (VWCN’21), bringing together key decision-makers and stakeholders to address the burden of kidney diseases and discuss policies to improve their prevention and management.

We will be working with partners in the region to motivate policymakers and politicians to become agents of change in delivering equitable access to kidney care. The emphasis will be on translating the forum’s recommendations into reality to address the significant variations in the accessibility, affordability, and quality of care throughout the region. For example, by using the ISN Framework for Developing Dialysis Programs in Low-Resource Settings to ensure equal access to quality dialysis for kidney failure patients in this region and beyond. The framework was launched at the GKPF’21 and is now available on the WHO’s noncommunicable diseases webpage.

The ISN’s advocacy team was privileged to submit, both as a co- and sole-signatory, and speak in support of several items at the 74th World Health Assembly (WHA), held virtually by the World Health Organization (WHO) from May 24 to June 1, 2021.

Working alongside members of the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health (GCCH) and other partners, including the Noncommunicable Disease  Alliance, the World Dental Federation, and the International Association for Dental Research, the ISN co-signed four statements advising Member States of the need to improve kidney health by:

• Strengthening WHO’s global emergency preparedness and response.
• Enhancing global action on patient safety across the health care spectrum.
• Prioritizing the prevention, diagnosis, and management of diabetes (the leading cause of stroke and cardiovascular and kidney diseases).
• Embedding oral health care within both the noncommunicable disease (NCD) agenda and universal health coverage programs.

The ISN was the sole signatory of two additional statements advising member states of the need to:

• Tackle kidney disease in women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health through consistent implementation of the eponymous Global Strategy (2016 – 2030).
• Reduce health care inequalities and address social health determinants that increase kidney diseases in minority and vulnerable populations.

The ISN is pleased to report that the 74th WHA adopted the proposed resolutions on diabetes, WHO’s global emergency preparedness and response, oral health, the social determinants of health, and the WHO’s flagship “Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030.” The assembly recommitted to implementing the “Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016−2030).”

The ISN will continue working alongside its partners toward fully implementing the adopted resolutions in WHO’s Member States.

On May 13, ISN President Agnes Fogo spoke at the Third Annual Global Summit on Kidney Innovation: Expanding Patient Choices and Outcomes, organized by the American Association of Kidney Patients and the George Washington University, held virtually from May 13-14, 2021.

As a leader in the global kidney space, Professor Fogo shared her views on the vital role that kidney patients play in research and innovation in the session “International Kidney Innovations Consortium: International Organizations Working in the Space Provide Global Perspectives.” In addition, she outlined how the ISN would help drive change by empowering local communities and supporting fledgling patient groups in lower and middle-income countries.

The ISN considers patient participation in healthcare-related decision-making essential to shaping effective healthcare systems. It firmly supports WHO’s 1978 Alma Ata Declaration, which asserts that “people have the right and duty to participate individually and collectively in the planning and implementation of their health care.”

The ISN also campaigns for more substantial patient involvement in clinical trials to align patient priorities with research outcomes.

The 2021 World Kidney Day campaign, “Living Well With Kidney Disease,” was an outstanding success, as highlighted in the 2021 WKD Impact Report. Over 1,100 events were submitted from 86 countries, and 114 champions in 64 countries working with kidney disease patients supported the event.

On June 10, 2021, three world-renowned speakers presented at the live “ISN-IFKF Webinar: Spotlight on World Kidney Day – Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease,” followed by a Q&A session.

The WKD Steering committee co-chairs, Professor Robyn Langham and Professor Kam Kalantar, wrote an article on the “Living Well with Kidney Disease” campaign, which features in a current supplement to the UK newspaper The Guardian and supports the recently launched Kidney Health 2021 Campaign.

As the WKD 2021 campaign draws to a close, do stay tuned for the announcement of the 2022 campaign theme in September.

The ISN’s partner, the European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA), alongside the MEP Group for Kidney Health, held its annual European Kidney Forum on June 18, bringing together high-level stakeholders to discuss concrete policies to benefit kidney patients in Europe.

This year’s forum, “Unmet needs & challenges in access to treatments in Europe: the case of Chronic Kidney Disease,” was organized as part of EKHA’s Decade of the Kidney campaign.

Watch a recording of the forum here.

Opening the forum, the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides flagged the importance of tackling risk factors like diabetes and hypertension and following a “patient-centered approach” to prevent kidney disease. She also referenced the EU4Health and Horizon Europe funding programs as potential avenues to advance kidney health.

The ISN was pleased to hear MEP Hilde Vautmans and MEP Manuel Pizarro, chair and co-chair of the MEP Group for Kidney Health respectively, voice support for the WKD campaign. They discussed how the EU can help advance kidney health beyond its borders, with Vautmans advising that: “The EU could play a role in improving kidney health and access to treatment in LMICs, which are disproportionally affected by the CKD, via the Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific Partnership and the Africa-EU Partnership.”

MEP Pizarro’s comments on the importance of EU research funding opportunities in tackling kidney disease were also welcome:

“We now have a fantastic opportunity to improve the lives of kidney disease patients with the momentum of the European Health Union and ambitious programs such as Horizon Europe. I have already seen positive examples […] as it recently published a call on medical technology and devices that made a specific reference to radically portable dialysis. I hope future calls will follow suit as ground-breaking innovation in this field is urgently needed, especially in preventing the progression of kidney disease.”

With momentum building at the EU level, the ISN is committed to working alongside EKHA to help develop forward-looking policy solutions to improve the lives of people suffering from kidney disease in both Europe and further afield.

Speaking at the NCD Alliance Southeast Asia and Western Pacific joint multistakeholder dialogue on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and building back better after COVID-19, the ISN immediate past President, Vivekanand Jha, shared his views on the importance of intersectoral collaboration for advancing kidney health: “In order to achieve collective impact on people living with NCDs, NGOs, academia, governments, as well as private sector organizations need to collaborate to advance health. Each organization has its specific role to play to reach this common goal.” He added that “As a community, it is essential to invest in the message that the health of the society is good for all, including for businesses, governments, the economy, and civil society, and to develop participatory action research that involves all stakeholders, including industries, to provide concrete solutions to NCD health challenges.”

The outcomes of these dialogues will feed into a comprehensive consultative process contributing toward the “Global Charter on Meaningful Involvement of People Living with NCDs.”

On May 17, World Hypertension Day 2021, the ISN President Agnes Fogo and World Hypertension League President Dr. Xin-Hua Zhang released a joint statement to highlight the interrelatedness between hypertension and kidney disease:

“World Hypertension Day 2021 is May 17 and represents a great opportunity for the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the World Hypertension League (WHL) to exhibit the synergistic impact on global health. The partnership of the two organizations addresses the global ‘pandemic’ of kidney disease with the strategies of high blood pressure prevention and control. The theme of World Hypertension Day includes increasing awareness of hypertension risks and the importance of accurate blood pressure measurement. Through this collaboration, disease risks can be impacted in all populations around the world.”

The Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group (DICG) has developed a free online course, “Ethical Issues In Transplantation and the Declaration of Istanbul,” to equip participants with a thorough knowledge of the principles and recommendations of the Declaration of Istanbul (DOI), the role of the DICG, ethical issues in transplantation, and practical and regional implications of the DOI.

Nephrologists will learn from experts in the field of organ trafficking and transplant tourism on identifying and addressing cases of transplant tourism and illegal organ donations to help increase effective and ethical transplantation practices around the world.

The ten-part course is designed to allow participants to complete each module at their own pace. The modules include a 15-40-minute-long video and additional resources. A certificate will be issued on completion of the course.

The ISN joined the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region Partners’ Forum 2021, showcasing work done at the Global Kidney Policy Forum 2019 in Melbourne, Australia, to help promote kidney health advancement in the region.

Highlighting the success of the World Kidney Day 2021 campaign, “Living Well with Kidney Disease,” and the “ISN Framework for Developing Dialysis Programs in Low-Resource Settings,” the forum helped the ISN establish new connections with a view to collaborative working in the face of the challenges posed to kidney patients by COVID-19.

Northern Ireland has taken a step closer to adopting an “opt-out” system for organ donation, which has the potential to save hundreds of lives via deceased organ donations.

An “opt-out” or “silence is tantamount to consent” system presumes donor consent unless individuals state a preference against deceased organ donation while still alive. The “opt-in” procedure requires donors to give explicit consent when alive or requires their family’s consent on their behalf if they are deceased.

In agreement with comments from BBC Northern Ireland sports journalist Stephen Watson – a kidney transplant patient himself – the ISN calls for other countries to adopt an “opt-out” policy and make a considerable difference to kidney donation rates worldwide.