Baxter International, a global leader in renal care, along with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Alliance for Home Dialysis, today announced that the Dialysis Health Imperative for Access, Choice, and Equity (ACE) program will be expanded for a third year.
Image: Baxter, NAACP and the Alliance for Home Dialysis expand program in Africa to increase Kidney care awareness. Photo: Courtesy of hywards at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
This year, the program is expected to reach even more individuals and focus on driving awareness of kidney disease—including risk factors, prevention strategies and home dialysis treatment options—among the African American community. African Americans are three times more likely to develop kidney disease compared to Caucasians.
Now in its third year, the Dialysis Health Imperative for ACE program is a collaboration among Baxter, the NAACP and the Alliance for Home Dialysis with the goal of informing individuals within African American communities in the U.S. about access to kidney care and the disproportionate impact kidney disease has on African Americans and other people of color. The program includes a series of town hall events that discuss kidney health and identify the needed resources so patients are more aware of their options earlier in the process. This year’s town hall events are being held in Harlem, New York; Memphis, Tennessee; Pittsburgh; and Riverside, California and will bring together patients, providers and advocates.
“The NAACP is pleased to continue its partnership with Baxter and the Alliance for Home Dialysis to benefit African American health,” said Marjorie Innocent, Ph.D., senior health director at the NAACP. “Knowing about options and having access to needed services to live with kidney failure, including home dialysis, can improve health outcomes and quality of life. At the same time, we must encourage advocacy around better health care, health education and social conditions to stem the pipeline of African Americans who develop chronic kidney disease.”
“To address the many disparities in healthcare, we all must work together to educate at-risk communities and ensure equal access to treatment options, including home dialysis,” said Guillermo Amezcua, senior director in Baxter’s U.S. home dialysis business. “We are thrilled to be expanding our partnership with the NAACP and the Alliance for Home Dialysis, as our work together is driving awareness and making a real impact.”
Source: Company Press Release.