Semaine Nationale du Rein 2026

World Kidney Day 2026 in French Guiana: reaching every community, however remote

In French Guiana, where diabetes and hypertension are among the most prevalent in France, kidney disease progresses silently until advanced stages. From 25 to 29 March 2026, the University Hospital of French Guiana (CHU de Guyane), supported by the Regional Health Agency (ARS) and a broad coalition of public and private partners, turned World Kidney Day into a major prevention drive — taken directly to the population.

The initiative. The strategy relied on close, territory-wide coverage: nine free and anonymous screening stations across the coastal hubs (Cayenne, Kourou, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni) and the inland municipalities (Saint-Georges, Grand Santi, Maripasoula). To reach the most isolated communities, the “Kidney Canoe” (Pirogue du Rein) travelled up the Upper Maroni River to the villages of Taluen, Antecum Pata and Kayode — accessible only by river. Trilingual materials (French, Bushinenge, Portuguese), Starlink connectivity and the involvement of traditional community leaders made full screening (blood pressure, capillary glucose, urine dipstick) possible right to the last kilometre.

Key results. Nearly 1,200 people screened — a 35% increase over 2025 — and 348 referrals to a nephrology consultation. Strong turnout along the coast and genuine engagement from inland communities confirmed the value of this approach.

Impact. Across a vast, multilingual territory marked by deep inequalities in access to care, this initiative embodies prevention that travels to the patient rather than waiting for them. Every early detection is a kidney-disease trajectory potentially changed.

Building on this momentum and our partners’ commitment, we are determined to sustain and scale this model, so that kidney health in French Guiana becomes everyone’s concern — from the coast to the rivers.