In May 2025, for the first time ever, kidney health was recognised as a global health priority by the World Health Organisation (WHO) at the United Nations meeting in Geneva, when the World Health Assembly formally adopted a resolution on reducing the burden of kidney disease. Alongside the UK kidney community, Kidney Care UK greatly welcomed this move, which was supported by the UK government.  

A political declaration was the next step to turn this into action, and was tabled at the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2025. It was vital to have ‘kidney disease’ specifically included in this text because it will shape global Non Communicable Disease (NCD) priorities, funding and programmes for the next decade; it was not in the first draft.

Kidney Care UK was pleased to be a signatory to a global letter encouraging member nations to support the inclusion of kidney disease in the declaration and to both thank the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) contacts for their previous support as well as ask them to support the inclusion of kidney disease in the declaration, which they did.   

Following multiple advocacy efforts, especially by the International Society of Nephrology, we were really delighted to note that in December 2025 the political declaration, including kidney disease, was approved by 175 nations, including the UK (a majority).

According to the WHO, the political declaration, titled "Equity and integration: transforming lives and livelihoods through leadership and action on noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being", "is the most comprehensive to date, integrating lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and responding to new global challenges."

The declaration places kidney disease alongside other "pressing issues" in the noncommunicable diseases category, including lung health, childhood cancer, and liver disease. It notes with concern that globally, there are "more than 674 million people affected by chronic kidney disease."

The historic international advocacy for kidney disease supports the whole UK kidney community and adds strength to our ask for a national kidney strategy, including better detection, communications and access to treatments for people with kidney disease.