News

The ISN attended the 76th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva from May 21 to 30, 2023, presenting five separate constituency statements and holding an inaugural stand-alone event in collaboration with Devex.

Statements

Three joint statements, co-signed with partners in the NCD Alliance and the World Heart Federation (WHF), focused on the following:

• Prioritizing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including kidney disease, in national pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response plans
• Including essential NCD services in national universal health coverage (UHC) benefit packages
• Urging Member States to consider interventions to control common NCD co-morbidities such as diabetic kidney disease and cardiovascular risk factors in chronic kidney disease in Appendix 3 of the Global NCD Action Plan 2013-2030

The ISN also co-signed a fourth constituency statement on well-being and health promotion alongside the NCD Alliance and a fifth on social determinants of health and air pollution under the WHF’s lead.

ISN-Devex event

Aiming to inform the upcoming UN High-Level Meeting (UNHLM) on UHC and align with Sustainable Development Goals, the ISN- Devex event “From Neglected NCD to Priority: Accelerating Action on Kidney Disease” took place in person on May 24.

Renowned experts such as Dr. Slim Slama, WHO unit head of NCD Management, Dr. John Amuasi, co-chair of The Lancet One Health Commission, and Professor Vivek Jha, executive director of The George Institute for Global Health, presented on various aspects of kidney disease, emphasizing the need for global attention and practical strategies to enhance action and investment in low- and middle-income countries.

Mr. Joab Wako, a transplant recipient and chair of the ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group, shared valuable insights into the challenges faced by people living with kidney disease. Ms. Helen McGuire, global program leader for noncommunicable diseases at PATH, discussed community-based solutions to enhance health systems for kidney disease care. The Honourable Minister of Health of Ethiopia, Dr. Lia Tadesse Gebremedhin, and the Director General of Medical Education at the Bangladesh Ministry of Health, Dr. Md. Titu Miah, presented experiences and initiatives in kidney disease management.

Position paper

The 76th WHA was also a fitting opportunity to launch the ISN-Global Coalition for Circulatory Health joint position paper, “The Road to UHC. Why Integration of Circulatory Health Interventions in Primary Care is Essential,” in preparation for the next UNHLM on UHC. The paper presents case studies and best practices in primary care from low- and lower-middle-income countries. It urges Member States to include basic circulatory health services in their UHC benefit packages.