
The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and World Health Organization (WHO) participated in “Advancing kidney care for all: expanding access to lifesaving therapies,” hosted at the World Health Assembly 77 on May 29 in Geneva, Switzerland. The event brought together experts, policymakers, and people living with kidney diseases to discuss global disparities in kidney care.
An expert panel consisting of Valerie Luyckx, MBBCh, MSc, PhD (ISN); Daniel Gallego (Kidney Patients Federation); Bianca Hemmingsen, MD (WHO); Alison Cox (NCD Alliance); and Anna Stavdal, MD (World Organization of Family Doctors), discussed ways to ensure that lifesaving therapies are accessible to everyone, regardless of geographical or socioeconomic barriers.
Panelists concurred that early detection and prevention of kidney diseases are the most effective ways to save lives. Guatemala’s health minister, Oscar Cordón Cruz, agreed to examine the possibility of introducing a resolution on kidney diseases to the WHO, along with the Central America Council of Health Ministers.
Kidney disease affects approximately 850 million individuals globally and is expected to become the fifth leading cause of death worldwide by 2040.