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To celebrate World Kidney Day, which takes place every year on March 14th, the Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU) organised a community engagement event at Thunduti Primary School in Chilumba, Karonga. This global campaign has been happening since 2006, but this year MEIRU decided to involve its surrounding communities to mark this day. The theme for this year is “Kidney Health for All: Advancing Equitable Access to Care and Optimal Medication Practice”.
The World Kidney Day event aimed to provide information about chronic kidney disease and other related long-term conditions. MEIRU staff led the event, offering opportunities for questions and answers and sharing data about kidney disease from the studies conducted in the last couple of years. The event also included a drama performance by Mbenekaya Theatre and a music act by Spy-T, a popular up-and-coming artist in Malawi. The drama and music acts aimed to convey key messages about kidney health and the prevention of chronic kidney disease through the use of art.
Speaking at the event, Albert Dube, the Research Manager at MEIRU, highlighted the importance of salt and sugar reduction and regular physical exercise in preventing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and especially in maintaining kidney health. Dube urged people to incorporate exercise into their daily routines to reduce these health risks.
GVH Mwanyanja, representing Senior Chief Wasambo, expressed gratitude to MEIRU for organising the informative and engaging event and for bringing to the light the dangers of kidney disease. Mwanyanja pledged to use local chiefs and leadership structures to educate communities about strategies for preventing kidney disease.
The University of Liverpool funded this event through the work of Charlotte Snead, a PhD student whose Impso study is currently based in Chilumba.
