The World Kidney Day 2026 campaign is live today!

We are thrilled to present the 2026 World Kidney Day campaign: “Kidney Health For All - Caring for People, Protecting the Planet”.

This year, the campaign continues to emphasize prevention and early detection, with focus on planetary health.

By prioritizing prevention and early detection, we can protect both kidney health and the planet.

Join us in spreading the World Kidney Day message on social media with the official hashtags #WorldKidneyDay, #OurKidneysOurPlanet, and #KidneyHealthForAll.

Don’t forget to tag @WorldKidneyDay so that we can share your posts.

The countdown is on! World Kidney Day will be celebrated worldwide on March 12, 2026.

Learn more about the 2026 theme

Chronic kidney disease affects 1 in 10 people worldwide and often progresses silently until severe complications arise.

Environmental changes - air pollution, heat stress, dehydration, extreme weather, and rising temperatures - are increasing kidney risks and driving disease progression. Meanwhile, life-saving treatments like dialysis are resource-intensive, consuming large amounts of water, energy, and plastics.

By prioritizing prevention and early detection, we can protect both kidney health and the planet.

We are delighted to announce that a new World Kidney Day (WKD) campaign is launching soon! WKD 2026 will take place on Thursday, March 12, 2026 under the theme:

Kidney Health for All -
Caring for People, Protecting the Planet

Please note: This theme has been shared with you confidentially, one week ahead of the public launch.

Why this theme matters

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 850 million people worldwide and is projected to become the 5th leading cause of years of life lost in the coming years, partly due to growing climate-related risks. Kidney disease and climate change worsen each other: dialysis for end-stage kidney disease demands large amounts of electricity, water, and single-use plastics, contributing to environmental degradation.

At the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted its first-ever global resolution on kidney disease. Member States committed to raising awareness, formally recognizing WKD as a public health observance, and addressing environmental risk factors.

Last year’s theme, “Are Your Kidneys OK? Detect early, protect kidney health”, emphasized prevention and early detection, still essential to reducing the environmental impact of kidney care by lessening the need for resource-intensive treatments.

How to get involved

For WKD 2025, over 2,500 activities took place worldwide with strong social media engagement. With the added momentum of the WHO Kidney Health Resolution, we aim for an even greater impact in 2026 – and we need your support.

Our 2026 campaign page launches on Monday, 15 September 2025 on the WKD website and social media. Please share it with your network and community, and help spread the word by:

• Liking, commenting, and reposting WKD social media content.
• Promoting the WKD blog sharing your own story as an advocate, nephrologist, or person with lived experience.
• Organizing a WKD activity.
• Submitting news, advocacy efforts, and WKD activity plans to the WKD Community Spotlight in our monthly newsletter via the dedicated submission form (published in the previous month’s newsletter).

For questions, suggestions, or to share your WKD 2026 plans, contact us at info@worldkidneyday.org.