Lessons learnt during the war in Ukraine: a report from The Renal Disaster Relief Task force of ERA

Abstract

People living with kidney disease are among the most vulnerable groups at the time of natural or man-made disasters. In addition to their unpredictable course, armed-conflicts impose a major threat given disruption of infrastructure, sanitation, access to food, water, and medical care. The ongoing war in Ukraine has once more demonstrated the importance of preparedness, organization, coordination and solidarity during disasters. People living with kidney disease face serious challenges given their dependence on life-saving treatment, irrespective of whether they remain in the war zone, or are displaced internally or externally. This affects especially those requiring kidney replacement therapy (KRT), dialysis or transplantation, but also patients with other kidney diseases and the medical staff who take care of them. The European Renal Association (ERA) assigned a Renal Disaster Relief Task Force (RDRTF) dedicated to support the people living with kidney disease and the nephrology community in Ukraine, soon after the war started. This report summarizes the major challenges faced, actions taken, and lessons learnt by this Task Force. We anticipate that the experience will help to increase preparedness and to mitigate the devastating effects of armed conflicts on the kidney community in the future and propose to establish an international collaboration to extend this effort to other parts of the world facing similar challenges.