BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — AS the globaly community observed World Kidney Day yesterday (Mar. 12), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is urging greater attention to the growing burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) across the region.
The call comes as the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region continues to record rates of CKD that exceed the global average. In a statement marking the day, CARPHA noted that in 2023 approximately 15.4 per cent of adults in the LAC region were living with chronic kidney disease, compared with the global average of 14.2 per cent.
Health officials say many of these cases are linked to preventable lifestyle-related conditions.
“Many kidney-related deaths could be prevented through early testing and improved management of key risk factors, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity,” CARPHA said.
The agency emphasized that prevention and control of diabetes remain key strategies in reducing kidney disease and improving long-term health outcomes. It also warned that chronic kidney disease disproportionately affects disadvantaged communities, further widening health inequities across the region.
This year’s World Kidney Day is being observed under the theme “Kidney Health for All – Caring for People, Protecting the Planet.”
CARPHA highlighted the importance of screening individuals who are at higher risk of developing the disease. These include people living with diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity, or those with a family history of kidney disease.
According to the agency, expanding community-based screening programmes can help improve access to testing, particularly in underserved communities. Early detection of CKD can help preserve kidney function, reduce the need for costly treatments such as dialysis, and improve long-term health outcomes.
Globally, international health agencies estimate that more than 850 million people aged 20 and older are living with chronic kidney disease.
CARPHA is encouraging individuals to take simple steps to reduce their risk, including:
- Staying physically active
- Eating a healthy diet
- Monitoring and controlling blood sugar levels
- Monitoring and controlling blood pressure
- Maintaining adequate fluid intake
- Avoiding smoking
- Limiting regular use of over-the-counter anti-inflammatory and painkiller medications
- Getting kidney function tested if at risk
The agency also warned that environmental factors are increasingly contributing to the burden of kidney disease.
Climate-related stressors such as air pollution, extreme heat, dehydration, and severe weather events can trigger acute kidney injury and accelerate the progression of kidney disease. At the same time, treatments for advanced kidney failure—particularly dialysis—require significant water, energy, and medical supplies and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
According to CARPHA, this creates a troubling cycle in which climate change and kidney disease can worsen each other, highlighting the need for urgent global and regional action.
