We are calling on EVERYONE!
No matter who you are—whether you simply believe in a healthier future or kidney disease has touched your life directly—this is your chance to take a stand! With your signature, we can urge global leaders to make kidney health a priority now!
Our goal is 1 million signatures. With your support, we’ll get there!
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Why this petition matters
This petition builds on a critical initiative: Guatemala’s submission of the Kidney Health Resolution to the World Health Organization (WHO) on October 28, 2024. This resolution aims to make kidney health a global priority, addressing gaps in prevention, early detection, treatment, and quality of life. By signing, you become part of a movement to gather 1 million voices—together, we can drive change and save millions of lives!
We are winning a race we don’t want to be in.
Kidney disease is the third fastest-growing cause of death worldwide and the only noncommunicable disease (NCD) with a rising mortality rate. It is now the 7th leading cause of death globally — in just a few years, it will become the 5th.
That means millions more lives are at risk — unless we do something about it. Together, we can fight this global problem and save lives.
- Each year, between 5 and 11 million people die from kidney disease, which affects an estimated 850 million people worldwide
- The majority of those impacted live in lower-income countries, meaning this disease disproportionately affects poor, vulnerable and marginalized populations
- The situation is growing: Demographic trends, such as aging populations, are leading to increased lives lost each year.
- The disease imposes significant costs on individuals, society and healthcare systems
- Families already struggling financially are often pushed further into poverty due to the high cost of treating and managing the disease
- Weak and underfunded health systems are ill-equipped to address kidney diseases, resulting in higher mortality rates in the countries that need effective intervention the most
- 1 in 5 people with hypertension have chronic kidney disease (CKD), and CKD contributes to 10% of deaths attributed to hypertension
- Kidney disease affects 40% of people with diabetes and significantly contributes to diabetes-related morbidity and mortality
- Kidney disease and cardiovascular health are closely linked, with cardiovascular diseases both causing and resulting from CKD, leading to about 2.1 million cardiovascular deaths annually
- September 18, 2024: The ISN launches the global petition
- October 28, 2024: Guatemala formally requested the World Health Organization (WHO) to adopt a kidney health resolution
- November 27 & 29, 2024: WHO Executive Board discusses the resolution
Despite the high prevalence, public awareness of kidney disease is low. It is overlooked, undertreated, and under-resourced in public health policies, making it a dangerous, often silent killer.
In 2015, the United Nations set a target to reduce premature mortality rates from NCDs by a third by 2030. That’s an admirable goal, but achieving it requires bold and imminent action from policymakers. We must ensure the WHO prioritizes kidney health with the same urgency as other major killers.
The WHO has recognized cancer, heart disease, stroke, chronic lung disease and diabetes as leading causes of premature mortality. Yet kidney disease, despite its significant impact, is absent from this list. This is not just a gap in policy, it’s a major oversight.
If we fail to do anything, kidney disease will continue to rise.
If we act now, we can help reduce NCD deaths by a third in the next five years.
Together, we can make kidney disease a priority and save lives. Join us in this critical fight.
Thank you for your support.