World Kidney Day is a global campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of our kidneys.
World Kidney Day is a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF).
The UK initiative is led by the Kidney Charities Together Group: the National Kidney Federation, Kidney Care UK, Kidney Research UK, the Polycystic Kidney Disease Charity, Kidney Wales, the Renal Association and the British Renal Society.
World Kidney Day’s mission aims to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to our overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
Its objectives are to:
- Raise awareness about our “amazing kidneys”
- Highlight that diabetes and high blood pressure are key risk factors for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
- Encourage systematic screening of all patients with diabetes and hypertension for CKD
- Encourage preventive behaviours
- Educate all medical professionals about their key role in detecting and reducing the risk of CKD, particularly in high risk populations
- Stress the important role of local and national health authorities in controlling the CKD epidemic. On World Kidney Day all governments are encouraged to take action and invest in further kidney screening
- Encourage Transplantation as a best-outcome option for kidney failure, and the act of organ donation as a life-saving initiative
The World Kidney Day Steering Committee has declared 2021 the year of “Living Well with Kidney Disease”. This has been done in order to both increase education and awareness about effective symptom management and patient empowerment. To see more details, click on the link below: