News

The ISN and African Association of Nephrology (AFRAN), held an advocacy roundtable on December 11, 2021, to discuss how best to advance kidney health in Africa. The roundtable was convened in addition to the joint AFRAN – AFPNA 2021 (African Paediatric Nephrology Association) Congress, December 8-10, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The AFRAN speakers, Emeritus Professor Saraladevi Naicker, Professor Faical Jarraya, and Professor Ifeoma Ulasi, provided an overview of the high burden of kidney disease in Africa and highlighted the most pressing needs, challenges, and possibilities facing kidney health on the continent.  The ISN advocacy director, Paul Laffin, then described advocacy avenues available to tackle kidney disease and outlined how these could best be implemented in the region with the support of both African and international partners.

The advocacy roundtable, moderated by AFRAN President Dr. Kouamé Hubert Yao and AFRAN President-Elect Professor Abdou Niang, concluded with a group discussion. The dialogue, which included Dr. Osahon Enabulele, president of the Commonwealth Medical Association and president-elect of the World Medical Association, will result in the drafting of an Abidjan Declaration highlighting Africa’s main kidney health challenges. The declaration will also include ISN and AFRAN pledges to tackle kidney disease on the continent by working with the African Union, the European Union, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations.