The ISN Advocates for Improved Dialysis Provision During Crises at the WHO Global High-Level Technical Meeting on NCDs in Humanitarian Settings
As a non-state actor in official relations with the WHO, the ISN attended the WHO’s “Global high-level technical meeting on noncommunicable diseases in humanitarian settings: building resilient health systems, leaving no one behind” in Copenhagen, Denmark, at the end of February.
Denmark, Kenya, and Jordan hosted 630 participants from 50 countries and 71 non-governmental organizations for the event.
The WHO asked the ISN to lead the WHO’s side event on dialysis at the meeting, highlighting the urgent need to prioritize kidney failure patients in emergencies and the impact of kidney disease on global health.
💡🌏 @valerie_luyckx's insights during the Multistakeholder partners’ forum at the @who-@Refugees Global high-level technical meeting on #NCDs in humanitarian settings, emphasize the urgency of addressing kidney failure in emergencies. "Helping ESKD patients doesn't fit into a… pic.twitter.com/RfX5YDJqnY
— Int Society of Nephrology (@ISNkidneycare) February 29, 2024
ISN Renal Disaster Preparedness Working Group members Ali Abu-Alfa (chair), Serhan Tuglular (deputy chair), Valerie Luyckx, Raymond Verholder and Hussein Haboub presented at the side event.
Discussions focused on:
- Identifying risks during disasters
- Addressing logistical challenges for dialysis provision
- Sharing personal experiences from healthcare professionals and patients, emphasizing also the impact on mental health
Experts emphasized the necessity for:
- Implementing resilient planning strategies
- Addressing monopolization in dialysis supplies to enhance accessibility
- Establishing a robust framework tailored to humanitarian settings
The ISN remains committed to advocating for improved dialysis care during crises, emphasizing the urgency of prioritizing kidney failure patients.
