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Three prominent international nephrology societies have united to urge the World Health Organization (WHO) to elevate chronic kidney disease (CKD) to the status of a noncommunicable disease (NCD) public health priority, citing its significant impact on global mortality and morbidity.
In a joint consensus statement published in Nature Reviews Nephrology, the International Society of Nephrology, the European Renal Association, and the American Society of Nephrology, along with three other regional nephrology societies, emphasized the urgent need for CKD to be included among the major NCD drivers of premature mortality. The statement highlighted that while the WHO has recognized diseases like cancer, heart disease, stroke, chronic lung disease, and diabetes, CKD has been overlooked, despite its substantial contribution to preventable deaths.
Lead author Dr. Anna Francis, a pediatric nephrologist at Queensland Children’s Hospital in Australia, stressed the oversight, stating that CKD’s omission from global public health initiatives represents a missed opportunity to address a significant cause of premature mortality. With mortality from kidney diseases estimated to range between 5 to 11 million deaths annually, and kidney dysfunction ranking as the seventh leading risk factor for death, the urgency to address CKD cannot be overstated.
Aside from increasing premature mortality, CKD imposes substantial burdens on individuals, healthcare systems, and the environment. The authors underscored its impact on morbidity, disability, quality of life, and economic consequences, emphasizing the need for heightened global awareness and intervention strategies.
Acknowledging the lack of public awareness surrounding CKD, the statement called for WHO recognition to catalyze efforts in improving early diagnosis, enhancing access to care, and developing evidence-based prevention approaches and therapies. The authors emphasized the importance of integrating kidney care services into primary care settings, adopting region-specific approaches to understanding CKD risk factors, and implementing community-based interventions to enhance preventive care demand.
Moreover, the statement advocated for patient-centered care approaches, technological solutions to facilitate care delivery, and collaborative efforts involving patients and family members in service planning and provision.
The editorial accompanying the statement emphasized the potential of these strategies to improve and save millions of lives annually, underscoring the urgency for global action to address the burden of CKD.
With millions of lives at stake, the call from nephrology experts for WHO recognition of CKD as a major NCD driver represents a pivotal step towards advancing kidney health worldwide.
Dr. Anna Francis had no disclosures, while three coauthors declared unrelated funding from pharmaceutical companies.
