Act now to encourage the World Health Organisation to prioritise kidney disease

The World Health Assembly, the decision-making body for the World Health Organisation (WHO), will be debating whether to make kidney health a priority at its May 2025 meeting.

Adopting a resolution to prioritise chronic kidney disease (CKD) has the potential to support much-needed kidney care in low and middle-income countries. In countries like the UK, it would highlight the importance of CKD prevention and care to our government, and support its prioritisation on a par with other diseases.

We are asking for your help to ensure this kidney care resolution is passed by signing and sharing a petition in support. Please ask your family and friends to help too.

Take action: sign the World Health Assembly petition

The WHO has recognised that non-communicable diseases (diseases that are not passed from person to person), such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, are now a major and sometimes preventable cause of premature death throughout the world.

It leads programmes to encourage government action on prevention and control of these conditions. However, WHO does not currently include CKD as a priority area within non-communicable diseases. This means governments may be less aware of the importance of prevention and treatment of CKD.

However, in February 2025 the WHO Executive Board voted unanimously to recommend the adoption of a resolution on reducing the burden of non-communicable disease through kidney health promotion and disease prevention at the WHO World Health Assembly meeting in May 2025.

This would be a real and historic step forward in recognising the urgency of addressing the burden of CKD around the globe and in our country. However, support is needed to encourage the adoption of this resolution.

By signing the petition above you can help urge world leaders to prioritise kidney health and ensuring access to life-saving treatment for millions of people worldwide. The International Society of Nephrology (ISN), the global professional association dedicated to advancing to kidney health worldwide, created the petition and is working to improve CKD care worldwide.

More ways to raise awareness of kidney disease

  • #BloodyAmazingKidneys: 5 ways to support our campaign

    Until they are diagnosed, many kidney patients don't know anything about their kidneys. Our Bloody Amazing Kidneys campaign aims to help identify those most at risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). With your support, we want to start a national conversation about the importance of kidney health.

  • Contacting your MP

    Your MP represents you in Parliament. If you want them to act on the issues that matter to you, you can email or write to them, invite them to an event you’re organising or arrange to meet them in person. We share some advice and tips for effective campaigning about chronic kidney disease and organ donation and explain how to use Kidney Care UK's 'Email your MP' tool.