Together with the following consortium partners;  EKPF, EUTOX, IMEC, ISN, RENALOO and ISS Fundacion UAM, EKHA obtained a Grant via the EU4Health Programme (EU4H) Call for proposals under the Annual Work Programme 2022 Call for proposals on prevention of NCDs – other NCDs. This project puts forward preventive interventions specifically related to tackling CKD, including awareness raising, knowledge sharing and capacity building, while ensuring that all proposed activities are implementable and/or impactful not only at national but also at the local level.

The objectives of PREVENTCKD are in full alignment with the objectives set out by the call, and include: Increase awareness on the characteristics, implications and impact of CKD at EU population level and EU policy level, Preventing CKD from developing; Screening population at risk; Stimulate health-management for people with kidney disease prior to the stage necessitating kidney replacement therapy, to enhance quality of life, mental health and delay the process of deterioration of the kidney function and to minimize societal cost. To obtain these objectives the following workstreams are installed:

Data collection on CKD: retrieving new data and updating existing data

  • Filling in important gaps in data, updating incorrect data, and thus limiting extrapolated data
  • Project the national level epidemiological by CKD stage and renal replacement therapy modality and associated
    economic burden of CKD between 2022 and 2027 in the selected countries
  • Estimate the benefits of policy interventions around the introduction of screening programs in these countries
  • Comparison within countries of different social groups to pinpoint groups that are extra vulnerable and define
    measures within the project’s deliverables to resolve the inequities.

Development and implementation of the Prevention code

  • Increase awareness of risk factors that can lead to CKD and  Inform people about actions they can take to reduce their risk of kidney diseases
  • Target people at increased risk for getting kidney disease as well as relevant healthcare professionals

Development and implementation of a transferable albuminuria screening campaign

  • Detecting more cases of CKD in an early stage of the disease, as to allow prevention of CKD progression and of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
  • Enabling and/ or facilitating the implementation for regions and Member States of a CKD screening campaign
  • Improve quality of life and survival of new CKD patients and decrease societal cost

Identification of existing (best)practices in all the above prevention areas, as well as identification of evidence gaps

  • Identify existing problems in awareness raising, prevention, and screening
  • Define solutions for these problems and match existing initiatives
  • Come to a homogenous approach throughout EU member states, allowing holistic comparisons.