World Kidney Day 2021: Living Well with Kidney Disease

Background

World Kidney Day (WKD) is a global campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of our kidneys.
This year World Kidney Day will take place on 11th March with the dedicated theme “Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere – Living Well with Kidney Disease”.

World Kidney Day 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.

The campaign sets out to increase education and awareness about effective symptom management and patient empowerment, with the ultimate goal of encouraging meaningful participation in every-day life.

Objectives

• 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.

Theme 2020

Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere – Living Well with Kidney Disease 

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, with the ultimate goal of encouraging life participation. Whilst effective measures to prevent kidney disease and its progression are important, patients with kidney disease – including those who depend on dialysis and transplantation – and their care-partners should also feel supported, especially during pandemics and other challenging periods, by the concerted efforts of kidney care communities.

The World Kidney Day Steering Committee calls for the inclusion of life participation as a key focus in the care of patients with CKD and as a building block towards delivering the ultimate goal of living well with kidney disease.

What can you do for your kidneys? [8 Golden Rules]

Kidney diseases are silent killers, which can largely affect your quality of life. There are several ways to reduce the risk of developing kidney disease.

• Keep fit, Be active
• Eat a healthy diet
• Check and control your blood sugar
• Check and control your blood pressure
• Take appropriate fluid intake
• Don’t smoke
• Don’t take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory/pain-killer pills regularly
• Get your kidney function checked if you have one or more of the ‘high risk’ factors

• you have diabetes
• you have hypertension
• you are obese
• you have a family history of kidney disease

Recommended readings

• Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere – from Prevention to Detection and Equitable Access to Care
• World Kidney Day: Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere
• Kidneys & Women’s Health: Include, Value, Empower
• Kidney transplant sees remarkable success rate
• Guideline to Implement livelihood allowance for Cancer, Kidney & paralyzed patients from spinal injuries
• Kidney Disease & Obesity – Healthy Lifestyle for Healthy Kidneys! #worldkidneyday #move4kidneys!
• International days, weeks and years of Public Health Concern