World Kidney Day 2026 Commemoration: Promoting Environment-Friendly Kidney Health Services
Health experts and multi-sector stakeholders convened at the Borobudur Hotel in Jakarta on Wednesday (11 March) to commemorate World Kidney Day 2026. This year’s global theme, “Caring for People, Protecting the Planet,” calls for aligning medical treatment with environmental conservation.
The event was opened by Acting Director General of Disease Prevention and Control at the Ministry of Health, Dr Andi Saguni, MA, representing the Health Minister. He emphasised the urgency of transforming the national health system to be more resilient in facing kidney disease challenges whilst committing to sustainable healthcare practices.
The high economic burden of chronic kidney disease emerged as a key concern. Tiffany Monica from BPJS Kesehatan (the national health insurance agency) revealed that kidney failure represents one of the highest cost burdens for Indonesia’s national health insurance system. “Given the high costs of long-term care such as haemodialysis, there is a need for a paradigm shift from expensive curative approaches to more effective preventive strategies,” she said.
This aligns with remarks from Dr Mohammad Fiqri Qoidhafy of the Health Ministry, who stated that current service transformation is beginning to drive environmentally-friendly operational implementation to minimise the ecological impact of medical processes.
From a medical perspective, Chairman of the Indonesian Nephrology Association (PB PERNEFRI), Dr Pringgodigdo Nugroho, emphasised that strengthening early detection systems is the foundation for reducing the rate of kidney disease in Indonesia. Beyond prevention, the discussion highlighted kidney transplantation as a long-term solution. Supriyanto, Chairman of the Indonesian Kidney Transplant Community Foundation (YKCGI), stated that transplantation provides kidney patients with more productive quality of life. He also noted positive changes in patient awareness, with patients now far more compliant with post-operative treatment to preserve their kidney function.
Supporting this, the private sector introduced technological innovations. Cokhy Indira Fasha from PT Fresenius Medical Care Indonesia presented the Green Dialysis concept, a haemodialysis solution designed to reduce carbon footprint in hospitals. Meanwhile, Roy Priadi from PT Etana Biotechnologies Indonesia emphasised the importance of safer and more affordable pharmaceuticals for patients, asserting that collaboration between cutting-edge medical technology and pharmaceutical innovation demonstrates that private sector involvement is crucial in supporting Indonesia’s healthcare ecosystem, benefiting both patients and planetary sustainability.
The touching session featured Brigadier (Ret) Tartono Suwitonegoro, a kidney donor who has lived healthily for 35 years with one kidney. He demonstrated that concerns about declining quality of life after kidney donation are unfounded.
The 2026 World Kidney Day commemoration is expected to serve as a collective momentum for government, academia, and society to move together in early detection and support an ecosystem that is more friendly to both patients and the planet.