The global burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is rapidly increasing with a projection of becoming the 5th most common cause of years of life lost globally by 2040. CKD is a major cause of catastrophic health expenditure. The costs of dialysis and transplantation consume up to 3% of the annual healthcare budget in high-income countries. However, the onset and progression of CKD is often preventable. In 2020, the World Kidney Day campaign highlights the importance of preventive interventions – be it primary, secondary, or tertiary. This article focuses on outlining and analyzing measures that can be implemented in every country to promote and advance CKD prevention. Primary prevention of kidney disease should focus on the modification of risk factors and addressing structural abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tracts, as well as exposure to environmental risk factors and nephrotoxins. In persons with pre-existing kidney disease, secondary prevention, including blood pressure optimization and glycemic control, should be the main goal of education and clinical interventions. In patients with advanced CKD, management of co-morbidities such as uremia and cardiovascular disease is a highly recommended preventative intervention to avoid or delay dialysis or kidney transplantation. Political efforts are needed to proliferate the preventive approach. While national policies and strategies for non-communicable diseases might be present in a country, specific policies directed toward education and awareness about CKD screening, management, and treatment are often lacking. Hence, there is an urgent need to increase the awareness of preventive measures throughout populations, professionals, and policy makers. Key words: Kidney diseases; Prevention; Detection; Awareness Correspondence: P. Kam-Tao Li: *This article was originally published in Kidney International (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kint.2019.12.002) and is reprinted concurrently in several journals. The articles cover identical concepts and wording, but vary in minor stylistic and spelling changes, detail, and length of manuscript in keeping with each journal’s style. Any of these versions may be used in citing this article. The permission of republication herein was granted by the authors, the journal, and its publisher. Received November 19, 2019 | Accepted January 8, 2020 Braz J Med Biol Res | doi: 10.1590/1414-431X20209614 Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research (2020) 53(3): e9614, http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1414-431X20209614 ISSN 1414-431X Editorial 1/10 Introduction Around 850 million people currently are affected by different types of kidney disorders (1). Up to one in ten adults worldwide has chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is invariably irreversible and mostly progressive. The global burden of CKD is increasing, and CKD is projected to become the 5th most common cause of years of life lost globally by 2040 (2). If CKD remains uncontrolled and if the affected person survives the ravages of cardiovascular and other complications of the disease, CKD progresses to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), where life cannot be sustained without dialysis therapy or kidney transplantation. Hence, CKD is a major cause of catastrophic health expenditure (3). The costs of dialysis and transplantation consume 2–3% of the annual health-care budget in highincome countries, spent on less than 0.03% of the total population of these countries (4). Importantly, however, kidney disease can be prevented and progression to ESRD can be delayed with appropriate access to basic diagnostics and early treatment including life style modifications and nutritional interventions (4–8). Despite this, access to effective and sustainable kidney care remains highly inequitable across the world, and kidney disease remains a low health priority in many countries. Kidney disease is missing from the international agenda for global health. Notably absent from the impact indicators for the Sustainable Development Goal 3, Target 3.4 (by 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being) and the latest iteration of the Untied Nation (UN) Political Declaration on NCDs, kidney diseases urgently need to be given political attention, priority, and consideration (9). Current global political commitments on NCDs focus largely on four main diseases: cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases. Yet, it is estimated that 55% of the global NCD burden is attributed to diseases outside of this group (10). Furthermore, kidney disease frequently co-exists with the ‘big’ four NCDs, which leads to worse health outcomes. CKD is a major risk factor for heart disease and cardiac death, as well as for infections such as tuberculosis, and is a major complication of other preventable and treatable conditions including diabetes, hypertension, HIV, and hepatitis (4–7). As the Sustainable Development Goals and Universal Health Coverage agendas progress and provide a platform for raising awareness of NCD health care and