Patients Welcome Historic Commitments on Lung and Kidney Health at WHA78
The WPA welcomes the landmark decisions taken at the 78th World Health Assembly 2025 (WHA78) on lung and kidney health. These historic resolutions mark a critical step toward strengthening people-centered health systems and ensuring that patients living with respiratory and kidney diseases are no longer left behind.
Adoption of the Resolution on Lung Health
WPA applauds the Assembly’s adoption of the landmark resolution on lung health, which recognizes the urgent need to address respiratory diseases and their major risk factors, including air pollution and tobacco use. This is an important victory for patients who suffer from conditions such as asthma, COPD, lung cancer, pneumonia, and tuberculosis, many of whom face stigma, delayed diagnosis, and barriers to affordable treatment. The Resolution calls for stronger national and global actions to prevent, diagnose, and manage lung diseases while promoting investment in clean air policies and integrated strategies linking lung health to broader efforts on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and climate resilience. For patients, this is a vital step toward ensuring healthier lungs and a better quality of life for all.
First-Ever Resolution on Kidney Health
In another milestone, the Assembly adopted the first-ever resolution on kidney health. This marks a critical recognition of the global burden of kidney disease and the urgent need to integrate kidney care into national health strategies. For patients living with chronic kidney disease and those dependent on dialysis or transplants, this resolution represents hope for expanded prevention, early detection, treatment, and strengthened primary health-care services. It is a crucial step forward in advancing universal health coverage (UHC) and addressing one of the most overlooked yet impactful health conditions worldwide.
Looking Ahead: Patients as Partners in Implementation
The World Patients Alliance stands ready to work alongside WHO, Member States, and other stakeholders to ensure that these commitments translate into real improvements in patient care. We urge governments to prioritize the voices of patients in designing and delivering health services that are equitable, affordable, and accessible to all. Together, we can build health systems that leave no one behind.