WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Seventeen patient advocacy organizations from North and South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East have formed the Global Patient Alliance for Kidney Health. The alliance aims to elevate patient voices and advocate for policies that improve access to early detection and treatment of chronic kidney disease, or CKD.
The alliance's steering committee includes representatives from:
CKD is one of the most neglected public health crises of our time. Globally, CKD affects almost 840 million people. Around 90% of CKD patients are unaware of their status. This can have dire consequences: CKD is incurable and, if left untreated, can lead to kidney failure, requiring dialysis or kidney transplants.
Addressing CKD requires a system-wide approach that prioritizes early identification and treatment of the disease. This approach should include policies focused on improving access to risk-based screening, eliminating inefficiencies in the health care system, and prioritizing the education and training of health professionals.
"The alliance urges governments to act decisively to protect at-risk patients by investing in proven policy solutions to slow the progression of the disease and prevent serious complications and death," explained Marisol Robles, member of the steering committee and president of the Mario Robles Ossio Foundation in Mexico.
The cost of CKD to people, governments and the environment is high. The negative impact of CKD is far-reaching. Treating patients with kidney failure imposes enormous costs on healthcare systems and greatly damages the environment. Many countries spend between 2% and 3% of their annual healthcare budget and together use around 265 billion liters of water annually to provide dialysis therapy and kidney transplants.
Chris Forbes, steering committee member and CEO of Kidney Health Australia, explained: "Chronic kidney disease is costing the Australian economy $9.9 billion a year in productivity-related losses and healthcare expenditure to provide dialysis and kidney transplants. "When these organs stop functioning, they wreak havoc," he added.
Individual-level approaches to chronic kidney disease fall short. While lifestyle modifications and medications can slow the progression of CKD, without greater emphasis on early detection and treatment, many more people will suffer. will be affected, the alliance explained.
Marisol Robles, whose home country of Mexico has the world's sixth-highest premature death rate from CKD, said: "It is important to educate people at risk about how to keep their kidneys healthy, but in countries with a heavy burden, "Governments have an obligation to implement policies that reflect best international practices."
About the Global Patient Alliance for Kidney HealthThe Global Patient Alliance for Kidney Health, bringing together advocates from around the world, envisions healthcare systems that treat chronic kidney disease as a public health priority by ensuring that patients at risk can access comprehensive examinations and early treatment. The Global Alliance for Patient Access, a nonprofit organization, serves as the alliance's secretariat. Visit globalkidneyalliance.org for more information.
Sponsorship SupportAstraZeneca has provided financial sponsorship to the Global Alliance for Patient Access as the secretariat of the Global Patient Alliance for Kidney Health.
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