On March 11th 2023, NKF celebrated World Kidney Day (WKD) in collaboration with the Malaysian Society of Nephrology (MSN) and the Ministry of Health (MOH). The celebration was aimed to raise public awareness about the importance of early screening for kidney health. Efforts were made to streamline the process for public health screenings and to provide proper counselling with follow-up advice for at-risk patients.

The “Buah Pinggang Anda Sihat? Jom Check!” initiative was launched by the Minister of Health, YB Dr. Zaliha Mustafa, to mark the beginning of efforts to bridge the gap between early detection and continuous monitoring. With this initiative, NKF hopes to detect more Malaysians with ‘silent’ kidney disease at an early stage and at a low personal cost.

The Patients’ Family Day 2023, held on May 5th, was a highly anticipated event that aimed to bring together patients, caregivers, family members, and staff members of the Pusat Dialisis NKF – Kuala Terengganu (KT). The primary goal of the event was to raise awareness about kidney disease and promote the overall well-being of patients.

To kick off the event, Dato’ Dr. Zaiha binti Harun (Consultant Nephrologist and PIC Pusat Dialisis NKF – KT) gave a welcome speech.

During the Patients’ Family Day 2023, the event was graced by the presence of the late Poh beng Choo’s daughter, who attended to express her gratitude for the care and support her late mother received. As a token of appreciation, she presented a hamper to Dato’ Dr. Zaiha. This gesture served as a heartfelt way to acknowledge the efforts and dedication of Dato’ Dr. Zaiha and demonstrate the family’s appreciation for her assistance.

Pusat Dialisis NKF – Kelab Lions Alor Setar held its Patients’ Family Day 2023 on 18 August with an outing to Jerai Hill Resort. For the 30 patients, their families, and NKF’s staff, this serene highland retreat was a delightful escape from the regularity of their thrice-weekly dialysis treatments.

NKF Launched Malaysia’s First Peritoneal Dialysis Training and Chronic Kidney Disease Education Centre.

NKF officially opened Malaysia’s first Peritoneal Dialysis Training and Chronic Kidney Disease Education Centre in Selayang on July 26, 2023.

The centre, the first of its kind in Malaysia, aims to provide peritoneal dialysis training and support services as well as chronic kidney disease education services for free to the community. These include information and support regarding dietary and lifestyle changes and to assist patients in choosing the right kidney replacement therapy be it kidney transplant, peritoneal dialysis, haemodialysis, or palliative care.

The “Buah Pinggang Anda Sihat? Jom Check!” initiative was launched by the Minister of Health, YB Dr. Zaliha Mustafa, to mark the beginning of efforts to bridge the gap between early detection and continuous monitoring. With this initiative, NKF hopes to detect more Malaysians with ‘silent’ kidney disease at an early stage and at a low personal cost.

Since 2018, Community Organ Donation Drive (CODE): Life programme has continuously received support and participation from CKD patients and caregivers, medical personnel, and members of the public. In 2023, NKF organised 2 CODE Life programmes; the first forum was in Alor Setar, Kedah and another in Taiping, Perak. The programme aims to educate and create awareness about kidney transplant as the first option for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients, as it allows patients to have improved survival and a better quality of life when compared to long-term dialysis treatment. It is designed especially for newly diagnosed ESKD patients and their caregivers as well as the various communities and medical personnel to understand and increase awareness of kidney transplants. The ultimate objective is to increase the number of organ donation pledgers in Malaysia, and encourage relatives of patients with ESKD to consider becoming living kidney donors.

The first CODE Life Forum in Alor Setar was held at RAIA Hotel and Convention Center, Alor Setar, Kedah on 24th June, 2023.

The second CODE Life Forum was held at Hotel Taiping Perdana, Taiping, Perak on the 23rd July, 2023. About 134 participants attended the forum.

On 23 September, NKF hosted its third CODE: Life programme of the year in Melaka, at the Bayview Hotel Melaka from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. This initiative was designed to raise awareness and educate the public about the advantages of kidney transplants as the primary treatment option for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients. Compared to long-term dialysis, kidney transplants offer patients a significantly improved quality of life. The programme is tailored for newly diagnosed ESKD patients, their caregivers, the general community, and medical personnel to bolster understanding and awareness of kidney transplants. An added goal is to increase the number of organ donor pledgers in Malaysia.

The programme started with talks by several kidney donors and recipients by Zulkanain bin Abdul Majid (Recipient), Norita binti Muharam (Donor), Nur Syamimi binti Rozman (Recipient) and Muhammad Hidir bin (Donor). In this session, they shared their transplant journeys and experiences.

The programme included a sharing session by Dr. Rafidah Abdullah, Nephrologist and Internal Medicine, Hospital Putrajaya and Dr Lydia Kamaruzaman, Senior Lecturer and Consultant Nephrologist, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The experts shared their transplant-related advice to questions from the participants.

The official opening of the Pusat Dialisis NKF – Kidney Association Sarawak (KAS)/ Rotary Club of Kuching (Kota Samarahan) was held on 30 September. The event was officiated by YB Dato’ Sri Professor Dr. Sim Kui Hian, Deputy Premier of Sarawak and Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government. He applauded KAS/ Rotary and NKF for setting up another dialysis centre (unit 2) at Kota Samarahan, which provides support to dialysis patients from surrounding areas.

“NKF has been championing the fight against kidney-associated diseases through improving kidney care and preventive education. Recognising the need for support among kidney patients, this forum provides a convenient platform for patients to access essential information and advice,” said Dato’ Dr. Zaki Morad Mohd Zaher, Chairman of NKF Malaysia.

In conjunction with Patient Forum 2023, NKF also launched VOKAL (Voice- out Kidney Alliance), a nationwide kidney support group. VOKAL serves as an official platform for patients, caregivers, donors, service providers, and healthcare professionals to express their thoughts and concerns regarding kidney-related matters.

NKF Malaysia invites all patients and interested parties to join VOKAL today and be the driver of change for our kidney community needs. Your voice matters in shaping policies for better kidney care in Malaysia. Raise your voice at https://vokal.nkf.org.my

On 1st October 2023 Sunday, the National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia (NKF) held its 16th Annual Patient Forum 2023 in Kuching, Sarawak. Since 2003, the forum has been dedicated to serving kidney patients, their caregivers,and healthcare professionals from government, private, and NGO dialysis centres.

During the event, patients, caregivers and dialysis centres staff benefited from the opportunity to learn from experts. The event started with medical- related topics for dialysis patients from Dr. Clare Tan Hui Hong, Consultant Nephrologist, HUS and Associate Prof. Dr. Nor Fadhlina Zakaria, Consultant Nephrologist, University Putra Malaysia (UPM).

En. Khairul Shazwali (Recipient) & En. Padli Saed (Donor) shared their experiences and other transplant patients’ testimonies on the kidney transplant process to increase awareness on living-donor transplant. The session after lunch break, was on Nutritional Advice for Dialysis patients presented by Cik Siti Hajar, NKF’s Dietician.

The event continued with the much-anticipated forum on ‘Pembiayaan Rawatan Dialisis’ (Funding for Dialysis Treatments) which was moderated by Ms. Khor Xin Yun, Chief Executive Officer of NKF. The panel of speakers were from PERKESO, Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM), Jabatan Premier Sarawak (JPS), Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Negeri (JKMN) Sarawak and NKF.

The month of August in Kuala Lumpur was marked by an event of utmost importance in the Malaysian nephrology scene–the National Kidney Foundation’s (NKF) ADC 2023 which was held at the Connexion Conference & Event Centre (CCEC) in Bangsar South City.

The conference, which was held on 5-6 August 2023, centered around the theme of patient care. It aimed to provide a platform for dialysis healthcare professionals from diverse backgrounds to share their expertise and insights on patient-centered care. The conference was well attended, with 493 participants from various specialties and regions. Overall, it was a successful event that fostered collaboration and knowledge-sharing among healthcare professionals.