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The ISN submitted a statement to the World Health Organization’s intergovernmental negotiating body (INB) calling on member states to prioritize ongoing prevention, screening, and treatment for kidney disease in national COVID-19 response and recovery plans in support of global kidney health during pandemics.

This statement follows a joint statement submitted by the ISN and the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health (GCCH) to the WHO 150th Executive Board meeting to prioritize prevention, screening, and treatment for circulatory conditions in national COVID-19 response and recovery plans.

It stressed the urgent need to invest in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and ensure more resilient health systems through a holistic multisector approach based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as outlined in the joint position paper “Preventing the Next Pandemic: The Case for Investing in Circulatory Health.” To support these investments, the ISN and the GCCH called for increased support for the healthcare workforce, global vaccine equity, and new models of care, including digital health solutions and fiscal policies on unhealthy commodities.

The ISN reiterates its invitation to WHO Executive Board members and other key countries to unite to discuss how to help the INB negotiate an international instrument that will grant future generations of kidney patients more security in a pandemic scenario.