The Incidence of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is alarming, which is expected to increase to be the Top 5 Cause of Death worldwide by 2040. In the Philippines alone, current research by the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) estimates that one Filipino develops kidney failure every hour or about 120 Filipinos per million population every year. No wonder, Filipinos comprise 25% of CKD patients in Asia with about 120 new CKD patients per million population every year.
To raise awareness on the importance of Kidney Health, World Kidney Day was launched as a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations – World Kidney Alliance (IFKF-WKA). This day will fall on March 14, 2024 and will be led by the Philippine Society of Nephrology (PSN) at the Laus Event Center in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. The Nephrologists from the PSN Central Luzon Chapter pack the day with challenging activities, contests and lay fora for dialogue.
The theme for World Kidney Day 2024 will be: “Kidney Health for All: Advancing Equitable Access to Care and Optimal Medication Practices.” According to the World Kidney Day 2024 website, Advancing Equitable Access to Care focuses on raising awareness on the importance of ensuring appropriate treatment and care is readily available among people living with kidney disease in order to improve their quality of life and delay disease progression. However, despite recent breakthroughs in CKD treatment which have substantially delayed its progression, disparities in accessing these advancements persist especially in developing countries like the Philippines. This emphasizes the pressing need to shift focus towards awareness, capacity building, and ensuring basic medical treatment are accessible. To achieve this goal, this involves a holistic approach which encompasses health policies, healthcare system delivery, engaging healthcare professionals, and patient empowerment.
To increase awareness on how to prevent CKD, the PSN, led by the Central Luzon Chapter, intend to launch TikTok Challenges, Stop CKD Logo-Making Contest and Kidney Tunes Jingle-Making Contests to encourage the public to a national dialogue through popular social media platforms.
