World Kidney Day

World Kidney Day is an annual global awareness campaign designed to raise public understanding about kidney health and disease, and the importance of early detection and prevention. This global observance highlights kidney disease's risk factors, such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, and highlights the role of healthy lifestyle choices in kidney health. Measures for preventing kidney disease include maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activity, reducing salt intake, drinking plenty of water, and refraining from smoking and high alcohol consumption.

World Kidney Day was started in 2006 as a joint initiative by the International Society of Nephrology and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations. In the context of India, the relevance and importance of World Kidney Day is heightened. India bears a high burden of kidney disease, with an estimated 1 in 10 individuals suffering from some form of kidney ailment. Kidney disease in India arguably constitutes a public health crisis, given the country’s high prevalence rates of diabetes and hypertension, coupled with low awareness levels about kidney health among the general population.

World Kidney Day is observed across India through various activities, including awareness rallies, kidney health check-up camps, seminars, and lectures. Media campaigns are launched to spread information about kidney disease and preventive measures. Schools and colleges may organize health talks, poster exhibitions, and essay competitions to foster awareness among young people. The observance usually occurs on the second Thursday of March, making World Kidney Day 2022 fall on March 10th in India. This day fosters deeper understanding and action towards the prevention and control of kidney disease, a critical health issue that affects millions of Indians.