News

This year, the ISN Continuing Medical Education (CME) Program continued to bring kidney care education closer to the professionals who need it most. From regional conferences to hands-on workshops, the program supported nine events in 2025, each confirming the same story: When nephrologists gain practical, context-driven skills, their confidence grows — and that confidence translates into better care and improved patient outcomes.  

April 

In April, the ISN CME Program supported several experts to participate in the 18th Congress of the African Association of Nephrology (AFRAN 2025) in Tunis, Tunisia, in conjunction with the 9th North African Congress of Nephrology and the 12th Congress of the Tunisian Society of Nephrology, Dialysis, and Kidney Transplantation. Attended by more than 570 delegates, the event provided a fitting occasion to present the ISN 2025 Pioneer Award for the ISN Africa region to Boucar Diouf from Senegal.  

Boucar Diouf (center left) receives his ISN Pioneer Award from ISN President Marcello Tonelli (far left) alongside then AFRAN President-Elect Abdou Niang (center right) and AFRAN President Hany Hafez  

ISN President Marcello Tonelli delivering a talk at AFRAN 

June and August 

In June, the 5th Congress of the Senegalese Society of Nephrology, Dialysis, and Transplantation, in Saly, Senegal, brought together more than 300 delegates and addressed the region’s specific epidemiological, infrastructural, and economic challenges related to chronic kidney disease.  

Read more about this event and about how it complemented other ISN Grants to drive regional progress 

Ana María Cusumano (holding certificate) after receiving her ISN Pioneer Award at SLANH 2025 

In August, the ISN supported Carmen Avila-Casado and Alfonso Cueto Manzano to deliver talks at the XXI Latin American Congress of Nephrology and Hypertension (SLANH 2025) in Guayaquil, Ecuador. More than 1350 delegates attended the event. The ISN 2025 Pioneer Award for the ISN Latin America region was presented to Ana María Cusumano from Argentina. 

October 

In October, the ISN CME Program supported several events: 

Delegates at the ISN NIS & Russia Regional Conference 

In Georgia, the ISN supported three speakers, Elena Zakharova, Kirill Komissarov, and Nikolay Bulanov*, to deliver talks at the “ISN NIS & Russia Regional Conference: 2025 Update on Essential Topics in Nephrology” in Tbilisi, attended by 158 delegates from across the New Independent States and neighboring regions.    

Faculty at the ISN NIS & Russia Regional Conferenc 

*Kirill Komissarov is the regional board chair of the ISN NIS & Russia region, and Nikolay Bulanov is the regional board deputy chair. 

In Kenya, the ISN CME program supported a one-day point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) workshop, hosted by the Aga Khan University in Nairobi, Kenya.  

Tushar Vachharajani demonstrating POCUS during the workshop at the Aga Khan University in Kenya 

Led by Tushar Vachharajani, Saeed Ahmed, Siddiq Anwar, and locally by Ahmed Sokwala, the training provided hands-on mentorship in key POCUS applications, boosting delegates’ confidence in clinical decision-making, patient safety, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Travel support was provided to one expert, Siddiq Anwar. 

Workshop faculty and participants 

Following the workshop, the faculty continued training at the KRACON Conference in Mombasa, which attracted over 520 delegates.  

In Buenos Aires, Argentina, the ISN supported José Moura Neto, president of the Brazilian Society of Nephrology, to present at the 25th Argentine Congress of Nephrology. 

José Moura Neto (left) 

The event brought together nephrologists from across Argentina and other Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America. It offered a forum for information exchange, medical education, and strategies to slow the progression of kidney disease. The goal was to encourage the creation and organization of disease registries for conditions prevalent in the region. 

November 

In November, the ISN supported several other events in Africa and South Asia: 

In Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, the ISN supported the first congress of the Congolese Society of Nephrology and Abdou Niang as a speaker. 

Prof Abdou Niang (front left), Professor Alain Assounga (front right), and Dr. Pierre Eric Ngabe (back)  

More than 300 participants from Central, West, and North Africa, as well as Europe, gathered for the event, which opened with training workshops on urinary tract ultrasound and tunneled catheter insertion for hemodialysis. 

Plenary sessions covered key issues in kidney health, including the diagnosis and management of chronic and acute kidney diseases, dialysis modalities, pediatric nephrology, and regionally relevant kidney conditions. 

Delegates at the first congress of the Congolese Society of Nephrology  

In Dhaka, Bangladesh, the ISN supported the 21st Annual Convention of the Kidney Foundation Bangladesh. Ahad Qayyum, deputy chair of the ISN Educational Ambassadors committee, was supported as a speaker.  

Delegates gained practical skills, knowledge of career pathways, and professional connections. Strategic discussions with national health leaders and the Bangladesh Renal Association highlighted the meeting’s broader impact on regional kidney health initiatives. 

The meeting was held in collaboration with the Royal London Hospital (RLH). The Kidney Foundation graduated from the ISN Sister Renal Centers partnership with the RLH in 2024 and won the ISN Schrier Award.  

Dr. Qayyum noted, “It was an absolute pleasure to attend and contribute to the program. A few very significant positive points include meeting ISN members from other nations like Nepal, Sri Lanka, and realizing that our problems are very similar and hence can adopt strategies that can work in their set-ups.” 

Faculty and delegates at the ISN booth at the 21st Annual Convention of the Kidney Foundation Bangladesh 

In Colombo, Sri Lanka, the ISN supported the 2025 Academic Sessions of the Sri Lanka Society of Nephrology and the travel of Manisha Sahay and Indu Ramachandra Rao.Ramachandra Rao. 

Delegates at the Academic Sessions in Sri Lanka

The event featured a comprehensive scientific program, including pre-congress workshops, the Professor Rizvi Sheriff Oration, free paper presentations, and a two-day main congress. Pre-congress sessions focused on kidney transplantation, pediatric dialysis, and a dedicated nursing workshop, while the main congress covered general nephrology, dialysis, kidney transplantation, and pediatric nephrology. Participants came from Sri Lanka and across the broader South Asian region. 

Apply now for an ISN CME program-supported meeting to advance your skills and connect with regional and international nephrology experts. Take advantage of these opportunities to implement practical strategies in your practice, strengthen local kidney care, and help close service gaps across your region.