In her statement, Prof. Dr. Belda Dursun shared the following information: “Every year, the second Thursday of March is commemorated as World Kidney Day in order to draw attention to chronic kidney disease and to increase awareness for the early diagnosis of kidney diseases. The theme of this special day, which falls on March 12 in 2026, has been determined as ‘Our Kidneys, Our Planet: Healthy Environment for Healthy Kidneys’. This theme emphasizes that kidney health is directly related not only to individual health habits but also to a healthy environment. For healthy individuals, access to clean water, reduction of air pollution, establishment of a healthy food chain, and ensuring sustainable living conditions are of great importance. Climate change, environmental pollution, unhealthy urbanization, and problems in accessing clean water resources are among the important risk factors for kidney diseases; therefore, protecting kidney health is closely related to protecting the environment. Chronic kidney disease is an increasingly important public health problem worldwide. If not detected and treated early, it can lead to serious health problems such as severe kidney failure and cardiovascular diseases, and may even result in death. It is known that the prevalence of chronic kidney disease worldwide is approximately 10–12 percent. In Türkiye, screening studies conducted by the Turkish Society of Nephrology have determined that this rate reaches approximately 16 percent. Uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension, heart diseases, obesity, advanced age, family history of kidney disease, smoking, frequent use of painkillers, and urological problems such as kidney stones or urinary tract obstruction are among the important risk factors for chronic kidney disease.”

Prof. Dr. Belda Dursun: “Regular Check-ups Are Essential for Early Diagnosis.”

Prof. Dr. Dursun stated that one of the most important characteristics of chronic kidney disease is that it often progresses silently without symptoms, and therefore it is of great importance, especially for individuals in the risk group, to undergo regular health check-ups. She emphasized that kidney functions should be checked at least once a year with simple blood and urine tests, and that these tests enable the detection of the disease at an early stage.

Prof. Dr. Belda Dursun continued her statements as follows: “If not diagnosed early and if the necessary treatment is not applied, the disease may progress to end-stage kidney failure, and at this stage, advanced treatment methods such as dialysis or kidney transplantation become necessary. Preventive medicine approaches are of great importance in the prevention of kidney diseases. In particular, avoiding unnecessary use of antibiotics and painkillers, carefully monitoring kidney functions during imaging procedures such as contrast-enhanced tomography and angiography, and taking necessary protective measures before and after risky surgeries play an important role in protecting kidney health. In addition, medications or products should not be used without physician supervision, and individuals, especially those living in hot climates, should pay attention to consuming sufficient amounts of water. Preventing chronic kidney disease requires responsibility not only from healthcare professionals but from all segments of society. Instilling healthy lifestyle habits from childhood is extremely important in preventing obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Eating a healthy and balanced diet, avoiding excessive salt and sugar consumption, drinking sufficient and safe water, exercising regularly, staying away from harmful habits such as smoking and alcohol, and not neglecting regular health check-ups contribute significantly to protecting kidney health. At the same time, adopting environmentally friendly and sustainable living habits helps protect both environmental health and kidney health. Therefore, for a healthy society, it is of great importance not only to increase individual health awareness but also to protect a livable and clean environment.”