Join the World Kidney Day 2023 Campaign: "Kidney Health for All"

Highlights:

World Kidney Day is a global campaign that raises awareness about the impact of kidney disease
On this day, various medical campaigns are conducted to screen for all types of kidney disease
This year’s theme calls for supporting the challenges faced by patients suffering from kidney disease

On Thursday March 9, 2023, join the World Kidney Day celebration, highlighting just how big an issue kidney disease is. It is not a disease that affects only a handful of people; anyone can be affected by kidney disease.

World Kidney Day is observed on the 2nd Thursday of March every year with the main objective of spreading awareness around the world on the need to identify kidney disease as a significant public health problem ().

This day was started in 2006 as a result of a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations – World Kidney Alliance (IFKF-WKA).

It is a collective effort to increase knowledge about the importance of the kidneys to our overall health and to prevent the incidence and effects of kidney disease and its related health concerns.

Prevention of Kidney Disease - Causes & Prevention
Kidney damage is usually detected at advanced stages. Healthy lifestyle, keeping diabetes and blood pressure under check, and regular tests can help prevent it.

‘World Kidney Day 2023 will focus on natural or man-made disastrous events and their impact on people living with kidney disease.’
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Know About Your Amazing Kidneys

Kidneys play a vital role in body functioning as they filter and eliminate toxic waste from the blood, remove excess water from the body, regulate mineral and chemical levels in the body, and generate hormones that assist in blood pressure control and the production of red blood cells.

Most of the time, kidneys work normally without any issues, but sometimes they can be damaged or stop working so well. This is known as chronic kidney disease (CKD).

CKD is a serious condition that affects over three million people in the UK, and up to a million of these people may be undiagnosed. A person can lose up to 90% of their kidney functions before experiencing any symptoms ().

Most people have no symptoms until CKD is advanced. Signs of advancing CKD include swollen ankles , fatigue , difficulty concentrating, decreased appetite, blood in the urine, and foamy urine.

The early detection of failing kidney function is crucial because it allows suitable treatment before kidney damage or deterioration manifests itself through other complications.

Top 10 Alarming Facts on Kidney Disease
The incidence of kidney failure (or chronic kidney disease) has doubled over the last 15 years. Here are some alarming facts on kidney disease.

Did You Know Facts About Kidney Disease?

10% of the population worldwide is affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD) (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Chronic Kidney Disease Basics

Go to source,3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
World Kidney Day 2023 Official Campaign 'Kidney Health for All' Launches - Show Your Support: Download and Share the Banners

Go to source)
Chronic kidney disease was ranked 18th on the list of causes of the total number of deaths worldwide in 2010
Over 2 million people worldwide currently receive treatment with dialysis or need a kidney transplant to stay alive
Kidney disease is more common in women (14%) than men (12%)
About 1 in 2 people with very low kidney function (not on dialysis) don't know they have kidney disease
Approximately 1 in 3 adults with diabetes and 1 in 5 adults with high blood pressure may have kidney disease
Only 20% are treated in about 100 developing countries that make up over 50% of the world population
More than 80% of all patients who receive treatment for kidney failure live in affluent countries with universal access to health care and large elderly populations
People who cannot afford any treatment at all result in the death of over 1 million people annually from untreated kidney failure
Treatment for kidney failure consumes 6.7% of the total Medicare budget to care for less than 1% of the covered population
In people aged 65 through 74 worldwide, it is estimated that one in five men and one in four women have CKD
Early diagnosis and treatment can slow or stop the progression of chronic kidney disease

Diabetic Kidney Disease - Symptoms, Signs, Causes, Diagnosis, Stages & Treatment
Diabetic nephropathy refers to kidney damage due very high levels of blood sugar levels in diabetics.

This 2023 Prepare For the Unexpected, Support the Vulnerable!

In the event of emergencies, people with kidney disease are among the most vulnerable in the population due to their ongoing requirements for consistently coordinated care, which is often lifelong and involves complex ongoing treatment.

In recent years, the impact of COVID-19 on the health system has placed an added strain on this vulnerable population. Hence, World Kidney Day 2023 theme is ‘Kidney Health for All – Preparing for the Unexpected, Supporting the Vulnerable!‘ ().

The 2023 campaign will focus on raising awareness about disastrous events and their impact on people living with kidney disease, whose access to appropriate diagnostic services, treatment, and care is hindered.

Health services have struggled to provide access to new kidney disease cases needing diagnoses, management, and care. With no actual cure or treatment to prevent progression, the under-detected and unhindered progression of chronic kidney disease to kidney failure will most certainly increase the global need for life-saving, costly treatments like dialysis and transplantation.

Therefore, the whole of society, including policymakers, health care services, governments, and industry, as well as people living with kidney disease and their carers, must be prepared for unexpected events to avoid any disruption in access to diagnosis, treatment, and care.

Drug-Induced Kidney Disease | Nephrotoxicity
Drug-induced nephrotoxicity is caused by nephrotoxic drugs or toxins which damage kidneys and can lead to nephritis or renal toxicity. The causative drug must be identified and its use must be avoided which can otherwise lead to high levels of toxins and severe damage to kidneys.

Golden Rules to Take Care of Kidneys

Maintain an ideal body weight to reduce the risk of blood pressure and chronic kidney disease (4^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Preventing Chronic Kidney Disease

Go to source)
Reduce your salt intake, and limit the amount of processed food in your diet. Consume only 5-6 grams of salt per day
Keep your blood sugar level and blood pressure under control. Check your kidney function regularly with blood and urine tests
Take appropriate fluid intake after consulting a doctor about your condition. Fluid intake may need to be adjusted if you have kidney, heart or liver disease
Avoid smoking and taking over-the-counter pain-killer pills regularly
Get your kidney function checked if you have one or more of the high-risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and a family history of kidney disease

How To Get Involved

Get a check-up

: It is impossible to know what's going on inside your body until it's too late. On this day, get a check-up and learn more about your kidney health on this day.

Spread Awareness

: The purpose of World Kidney Day is to spread awareness regarding kidney diseases and kidney health. So do your part and spread the message. Be active on social media and let the world know that you support our cause, using the hashtag #worldkidneyday.

Take a picture of yourself from the back or front and use your fists to indicate the location of your kidneys in your body. Share the photo on your social media with the hashtag #ShowYourKidneys.

Share Your Experience

: Have you ever suffered from a kidney issue? Do you know someone who has experienced kidney problems? If so, share the stories on social media so people know what to look out for. Create your own social media campaign, including visuals and wording that you can use for your social media posts.

World Kidney Day 2023 is a token to remind people of the primary function of kidneys and their location in their bodies. On March 9, 2023, let everyone celebrate World Kidney Day and show their kidneys some love!

References:

World Kidney Day. 2023 Campaign - (https://www.worldkidneyday.org/)
Chronic Kidney Disease Basics - (https://www.cdc.gov/kidneydisease/basics.html)
World Kidney Day 2023 Official Campaign ‘Kidney Health for All’ Launches – Show Your Support: Download and Share the Banners - (https://www.theisn.org/blog/2022/09/16/world-kidney-day-2023-official-campaign-kidney-health-for-all-launches-show-your-support-download-and-share-the-banners/)
Preventing Chronic Kidney Disease - (https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/chronic-kidney-disease-ckd/prevention)

Source-Medindia