Kidney disease is a public health problem that requires a global response. The International Society of Nephrology and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations have decided to designate the second Thursday of March every year as World Kidney Disease Day from 2006 to raise awareness of kidney disease and related cardiovascular disease and mortality, and to highlight the urgent global need for early monitoring and prevention of chronic kidney disease. March 14, 2024 is the 19th World Kidney Day. This year's theme is Kidney Health for All: Advancing Equitable Access to Health Care and Optimizing drug therapy Practice.

According to the World Health Organization's 2019 Global Health Estimates Report released in 2020, kidney disease is the eighth leading cause of death and is expected to become the fifth leading cause of death globally by 2040. At present, the incidence rate of kidney disease in China is 10.8%, and the population of chronic kidney disease is more than 100 million. The elderly are at high risk of chronic kidney disease. China has entered an aging society, and by the end of 2019, the number of elderly people aged 65 and above reached 176 million. The older you get, the higher your risk of developing chronic kidney disease. Senile kidney disease not only seriously affects the quality of life of the elderly, but also brings a huge burden to the family and society. Prevent or delay the progression of kidney disease, reduce multi-system complications, and ultimately improve the quality of life and prolong life of elderly patients with chronic kidney disease.

On the occasion of the 19th "World Kidney Day", let us work with people in different countries and regions around the world to take active actions through various forms and the whole society to jointly pay attention to the kidney health of the elderly. In order to improve the public's scientific cognition of kidney disease, strengthen the early prevention and intervention of elderly kidney disease, and improve the care of elderly patients with kidney disease, based on the background of aging society and the health needs of elderly people, the Nephrology Branch of the Chinese Geriatric Society calls for: All sectors of society should take action to jointly pay attention to the harm of chronic kidney disease in the elderly, promote the public health prevention and treatment strategy of kidney disease in the elderly, and optimize the drug treatment practice of elderly comorbid patients.

It is hoped that the news media, social organizations or mass organizations will actively spread the health knowledge of kidney diseases and improve the public's scientific cognition of kidney diseases.

Medical institutions at all levels, public health and all colleagues in the medical field actively carry out various forms of professional education or service activities such as free diagnosis, science popularization and education, public classes, and ward publicity for elderly patients with kidney disease and comorbidities, including health education for the elderly and their caregivers.

Elderly friends and family members take the initiative to learn self-management measures and methods for elderly kidney disease health, and practice the active health management concept of early detection and timely treatment of elderly kidney disease.

The medical staff of grass-roots medical and health institutions and community health service centers should work together to strengthen their own capacity building, establish a scientific long-term care service system for elderly patients with kidney disease, carry out regular health assessments for elderly patients with kidney disease, formulate standardized care strategies, establish and improve care service systems, and constantly improve the level of care technology.

Everyone should enjoy kidney health, early screening, standardized treatment and rational drug use. Let the national field of nephrology, geriatrics and health join hands, take the 19th "World Kidney Day" as an opportunity to pay attention to chronic kidney disease management and health maintenance of the elderly population, jointly promote the integration and development of geriatrics and nephrology in China, and contribute to the construction of a healthy China!

Nephrology Branch of Chinese Geriatric Society

March 2024