National Event | 12 April 2026 | Shah Alam, Selangor

The World Kidney Day (WKD) 2026 National Event was jointly organised by the National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia (NKF) and the Malaysian Society of Nephrology (MSN), with the support of Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam (MBSA). This year, WKD 2026 marks its 20th anniversary with the theme “Kidney Health for All: Caring for People, Protecting the Planet”.

For the second consecutive year, NKF, in partnership with MSN, hosted a hybrid forum titled “Caring for People, Protecting the Planet”, focused on addressing the increasing burden of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) through a holistic approach that integrates emotional wellbeing, dietary and medication care, patient empowerment, and environmental sustainability. The event was officiated by the Minister of Health, YB Datuk Seri Haji Dr Dzulkefly bin Ahmad, and was attended by Y.B. Puan Jamaliah Binti Jamaluddin, EXCO for Public Health and Environment, as well as MBSA Councillor YBrs Tuan Haji Mohd Firdaus bin Mokhtar.

A total of 393 participants attended the event physically, comprising CKD patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, allied health practitioners, and members of the public. Livestreaming via the NKF and MSN Facebook pages significantly extended outreach, achieving 7.5K online views and 3.2K unique viewers. The official launching ceremony was also livestreamed on the Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia Facebook page, garnering over 34K views.

The event attracted widespread nationwide media coverage across both print and digital platforms. It was featured in leading newspapers such as Asia Times, Guang Ming Daily, The Star, and The Sun Daily. In addition, extensive coverage was provided by various online media outlets, television networks, and press agencies, including Bernama TV, Astro Awani, NST, The Vibes, Metro, Bulletin TV3, Media Selangor, Malaysiakini-affiliated platforms such as Newswav.com, Malay Mail, The Edge Malaysia, Business Today, TV Sarawak, Sin Chew Daily, Nanyang Siang Pau, Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, China Press, Malaysia Gazette, BFM 89.9, Utusan Borneo, The Leaders Online, and many others.

The programme featured three key components.

The first forum, “Emotional Wellbeing, Diet and Medication Care: Finding Calm and Purpose in the Journey with CKD,” focused on the lived experience of CKD, psychological resilience, dietary management, and self-care. This session was moderated by Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Abdul Hafidz (Nephrologist), and the panellists were Dr. Shawn Lee Ji Kwan (Psychologist), Ms. Jazlina Syahrul (Dietitian), and Mohammad Syahmi bin Azman (Peritoneal dialysis patient).

Real-life patient sharing underscored how CKD can progress silently, even among young and previously healthy individuals, reinforcing the importance of early screening and awareness. Expert sessions highlighted practical strategies to manage emotional distress, establish structured routines, adhere to medication and dialysis regimens, and adopt individualised dietary practices across different CKD stages, including mindful moderation during festive periods.

The second session, “Eat Well, Live Green: Whole Foods for Kidney Wellness and a Healthier Planet,” by Ms Teong Lee Fang (Dietitian), explored the strong link between nutrition, kidney health, and environmental responsibility. It was highlighted that approximately 85% of kidney disease cases are driven by diabetes and hypertension, and that dialysis replaces only 20–30% of kidney function, emphasising prevention as the most effective strategy. Participants were encouraged to prioritise whole, minimally processed foods that support kidney health while reducing environmental impact, alongside practical lifestyle changes such as home cooking, reading food labels, and regular health screening.

The third session, the Green Kidney Award, was an initiative aimed at recognising and celebrating outstanding efforts by dialysis centres and pharmaceutical companies in promoting environmental sustainability within kidney care. The winners were determined through participant voting.

The first category, the Green Pharma Innovation Award, was won by Vantive. Vantive’s initiative involved recycling peritoneal dialysis bags into items such as tote bags, coin purses, and keychains. Several hospitals in the Klang Valley are already part of this initiative, with plans to expand it to other states.

The second category, Sustainable Dialysis Centre of the Year, was won by Avisena Renal Care. Their patients reuse spent peritoneal dialysis fluid as fertiliser for plants, serving as an excellent example that other peritoneal dialysis patients and centres can adopt. In addition, 80% of their medical records are electronic, making their operations largely paperless and contributing to efforts to reduce paper usage.

The MSN President, Professor Dr Lim Soo Kun, also highlighted that this digital approach enables dialysis centres to upload data more easily to the National Renal Registry (NRR), saving time by eliminating the need for repetitive data entry.

The WKD 2026 National Event was supported by generous sponsors and exhibitors whose active participation was instrumental to the success of the event. Special thanks are extended to AstraZeneca Sdn Bhd (Platinum Sponsor), Duopharma (M) Sdn Bhd (Gold Sponsor), and corporate sponsors Avisena Renal Care, Vantive Sdn Bhd, Boehringer Ingelheim (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Fresenius Medical Care Malaysia Sdn Bhd, DKSH, and Novo Nordisk. A total of 15 exhibitors took part in the event, significantly enhancing patient education, public awareness, and engagement through knowledge sharing on kidney health, nutrition, treatment options, and sustainable care practices. Their collective support played a vital role in advancing the WKD 2026 mission of “Caring for People, Protecting the Planet”.

From left: Board members of NKF, Dr Sunita Bavanadan, Y.B. Puan Jamaliah Binti Jamaluddin, EXCO for Public Health and Environment, Minister of Health YB Datuk Seri Haji Dr Dzulkefly bin Ahmad, MBSA Councillor YBrs Tuan Haji Mohd Firdaus bin Mokhtar, and MSN President Prof Dr Lim Soo Kun

From left: Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Abdul Hafidz (Nephrologist), Dr. Shawn Lee Ji Kwan (Psychologist), Ms. Jazlina Syahrul (Dietitian), and Mohammad Syahmi bin Azman (Peritoneal dialysis patient)

Ms Teong Lee Fang (Dietitian)