World Kidney Day 2026: HSE’s National Renal Office highlights how patient-centred kidney care has moved closer to home

Today, Thursday, 12 March 2026, the HSE’s National Renal Office is marking World Kidney Day by highlighting how patient-centred and sustainable kidney care has moved closer to the home and is benefiting patients.

For patients who do progress to kidney failure, renal replacement therapy, such as dialysis or kidney transplantation, is required to survive. As of 31 December 2025, national renal service figures show:

• 5,496 patients undergoing treatment for end-stage kidney disease
• 2,849 patients living with a functioning kidney transplant
• 351 patients receiving home dialysis
• 2,296 patients receiving in-centre haemodialysis.

While in-centre haemodialysis is often the first treatment used for kidney failure, it can have a significant impact on patients’ quality of life. The HSE continues to promote more patient-friendly and environmentally sustainable treatment options. Professor Joe Eustace, HSE Clinical Lead for the National Renal Office, explains:

“Approximately 5,500 people in Ireland receive life-saving renal replacement therapy on an ongoing basis. Over half of these people have a functioning kidney transplant, which is the optimal way of treating kidney failure.

“We are pleased to say that growing numbers of patients are receiving dialysis at home. In 2025, more than 115,000 dialysis treatments took place in the home setting. This allows patients to spend less time travelling to and from hospital (over 100,000 journeys saved) and more time in their own homes and communities (over 190,000 fewer hours spent in hospital).”

Despite affecting 1 in 10 people, CKD is often described as a silent disease because it typically has no early warning symptoms. This World Kidney Day, the HSE encourages everyone to be aware of their risk factors, which include:

• diabetes
• obesity
• high blood pressure
• heart disease
• age over 50
• family history of kidney disease