Promoting Global Kidney Health at the WHO 150th Session of the Executive Board
The ISN advocacy team submitted three statements supporting global kidney health, as a co- and sole-signatory, at the 150th session of the World Health Organization’s Executive Board, held virtually, 24-29 January 2022.
Working alongside Global Coalition for Circulatory Health (GCCH) members, the ISN co-signed a statement on WHO’s work in health emergencies, calling on member states to prioritize ongoing prevention, screening, and treatment for circulatory conditions in national COVID-19 response and recovery plans.
The ISN also signed a joint statement on maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, advising member states to promote chronic kidney disease screening and prevention to avoid the development of anemia. The statement was drafted and submitted with World Vision International, March of Dimes, Nutrition International, Save the Children, International Rescue Committee, Micronutrient Forum, Water Aid, and the Global Health Council.
The ISN was the sole signatory of “Draft recommendations on how to strengthen the design and implementation of policies, including those for resilient health systems and health services and infrastructure, to treat people living with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and to prevent and control their risk factors in humanitarian emergencies,” advising member states to:
- Integrate essential medication and diagnostics for kidney disease into existing NCD emergency plans
- Increase investment in such plans to ensure access to high-quality, essential services for people living with kidney disease in humanitarian emergencies
The ISN is currently inviting WHO Executive Board members and other key countries to discuss negotiating a global accord to help keep future generations of kidney patients safer from the impact of pandemics. This initiative follows ISN’s work with the GCCH on the above-mentioned joint statement and the publication, “Preventing the Next Pandemic: The Case for Investing in Circulatory Health – A Global Coalition for Circulatory Health Position Paper,” and the World Health Assembly’s historic decision to establish an intergovernmental negotiating body to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement, or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
