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Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. March 12, 2026. In 2023, 14.2% of adults globally were living with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In Latin America and the Caribbean, the prevalence was 15.4%, placing the region among those with the highest CKD burden worldwide, alongside North Africa and the Middle East, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa¹.  

Lifestyle factors are a significant contributor to kidney disease. Many kidney-related deaths could be prevented through early testing and improved management of key risk factors, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity².  Diabetes prevention and control remain essential strategies for reducing kidney disease and improving long-term health outcomes³. Furthermore, chronic kidney disease disproportionately affects disadvantaged populations, contributing to widening health inequities.

In recognition of this growing public health concern, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) joins the global community in observing World Kidney Day on 12 March 2026. The theme for this year’s World Kidney Day is Kidney Health for All - Caring for People, Protecting the Planet. Screening people at higher risk, including those with diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity, or a family history of kidney disease, is particularly effective and community-based programmes can help expand access to testing in underserved populations. Detecting CKD early can preserve kidney function, reduce the need for costly treatments, and improve long-term health outcomes.

At the same time, environmental factors contribute to the increasing the burden of kidney disease. Climaterelated stressors such as air pollution, heat stress, dehydration, and extreme weather events can trigger acute kidney injury and accelerate kidney disease progression. In addition, treatments for advanced kidney failure, particularly dialysis, require significant water, energy, and medical supplies, and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. This creates a concerning cycle in which climate change and kidney disease can worsen one another, underscoring the need for urgent action.

1. Mark PB, Stafford LK, Grams ME, Aalruz H, Abd ElHafeez S, Abdelgalil AA, et al. Global, regional, and national burden of chronic kidney disease in adults, 1990–2023, and its attributable risk factors: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023. The Lancet [Internet]. 2025 Nov; Available from: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS01406736(25)01853-7/fulltext

2. Caribbean Public Health Agency. CARPHA Encourages Early Detection Towards Preventing Kidney Disease in the Caribbean

         [Internet]. Caribbean Public Health Agency. 2024. Available from:            https://carpha.org/More/Media/Articles/ArticleID/992/CARPHA-

Encourages-Early-Detection-Towards-Preventing-Kidney-Disease-in-the-Caribbean

3. World Health Organization. Diabetes [Internet]. World Health Organization. 2024. Available from: https://www.who.int/newsroom/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes

In the Caribbean, the burden of CKD is closely linked to lifestyle-related risk factors. Caribbean diets often contain high levels of salt, contributing to increased rates of hypertension and diabetes, the two leading causes of kidney disease^[1][2].

“Many cases of kidney disease can be prevented by addressing the conditions that lead to it,” said Dr Lisa Indar, Executive Director, CARPHA. “Improving the prevention and control of diabetes and hypertension, encouraging healthier diets, and increasing physical activity are critical steps toward protecting kidney health across the Caribbean”.

CARPHA works closely with Member States to prevent, control, and manage non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including those that increase the risk of kidney disease.  CARPHA has developed Guidelines for the Management of Diabetes in Primary Care in the Caribbean, which support healthcare providers in improving early diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of diabetes. The Agency also promotes a Six-Point Policy Package aimed at improving nutrition and reducing obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and related conditions that drive non-communicable diseases and increase the risk of kidney disease. 

Additionally, CARPHA implements the Caribbean Moves initiative, which focuses on reducing the prevalence of NCDs by promoting preventive health behaviours across the Region. The programme encourages healthy diets, increased physical activity, and lifestyle changes that help reduce major risk factors such as diabetes and hypertension, both of which contribute significantly to kidney disease.

CARPHA continues to work with regional partners, including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, to coordinate technical support and promote policies that reduce diseases linked to kidney health.  The Agency is encouraging Caribbean citizens to take proactive steps to protect their kidney health by adopting healthier lifestyles and seeking regular health checks. CARPHA reminds the public that early detection and management of conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure can significantly reduce the risk of developing kidney disease.

Kidney disease is a significant and rising global health challenge. Approximately 850 million people worldwide are affected by kidney disease^[3]. In 2023, an estimated 788 million adults were living with chronic kidney disease, compared to about 378 million in 1990, which means that the number of cases has almost doubled over the period^[4]. 

For more information on CARPHA’s Guidelines for the Management of Diabetes in Primary Care in the Caribbean, click here and to learn more about the Six-Point Policy Package please visit here.

For further information please contact:

Ms. Rhonda-Joy Lewis

Communications Unit

Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA)

16-18 Jamaica Boulevard

Federation Park

Newtown, Trinidad and Tobago

Tel: 868-299-0895 

Email: comms-team@carpha.org 

Website: www.carpha.org