Dearbhla Kelly
Name Research initiative/work: ISN GKHA (Global Kidney Health Atlas)
Country: Ireland/Global Project
Region: Western Europe/Global Project
How does this initiative help advance kidney health worldwide?
The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) Global Kidney Health Atlas (GKHA) project aims to define the global capacity for kidney replacement therapy (KRT) and conservative kidney management in each region and to identify areas in which there is scope for improvement including disease prevention, management and care.
How did this initiative enable you to advance kidney health in your home country?
I was honoured to have the opportunity to use data from the second GKHA survey to report on the availability, accessibility, affordability, and quality of ESKD (End-Stage Kidney Disease) care in Western Europe. Our study highlighted several important aspects of ESKD care in Western Europe including variability in disease burden and transplantation rates, under-utilisation of certain dialysis modalities, workforce shortages, and lack of AKI (Acute Kidney Injury) or CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) detection programs.
As a member of the ISN Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) and a recently appointed ISN GKHA Fellow, I hope to play a key role in the improvement of kidney disease care in Western Europe by focusing on expansion of CKD prevention and detection efforts, reduction of cardiovascular disease burden, and implementation of advocacy programs.