By Daphne Rasehei & Rositta Liosi – EMTV Online
World Kidney Day (March 10) is commemorated every year on the second Thursday of March in more than 100 countries.
It is on this day that a global health awareness campaign is launched; the focus of which is founded on the importance of the kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
Kidney disease affects millions of people worldwide; this also includes many children who may be at risk of kidney disease at an early age.
This year’s campaign theme is “Kidney Disease & Children. Act Early to Prevent it!”
According to worldkidneyday.org this campaign is aimed “to inform parents, caregivers, young patients, policy makers and the general public of the importance of identifying and treating childhood kidney diseases, instilling an awareness of the risks for their future from kidney damage that originates in childhood, therefore building healthier future generations!”
People are encouraged to facilitate education, early detection and a healthy lifestyle in children, starting at birth and continuing through to old age in order to combat the increase of preventable kidney damage. On World Kidney Day all governments are encouraged to take action and invest in further kidney screening.
Visit the World Kidney Day website for more information.