Boehringer Ingelheim is deepening its push for early kidney disease detection in the Philippines by bringing screening and health education straight to the barangay level, giving more at-risk Filipinos a fighting chance to avoid serious complications and costly treatment.
Through its “Iwas Dialysis, Ligtas Kidneys: Get CheCKD Habang Maaga Pa!” campaign, the company has trained more than 200 healthcare workers from 20 barangays to become kidney health advocates, while more than 1,500 Filipinos have already undergone screening for chronic kidney disease. The initiative was first piloted in Quezon City’s District 1 before expanding to Antipolo City.
The effort comes at a crucial time, with chronic kidney disease continuing to pose a silent but serious threat to public health. Many patients only learn they have the illness when it has already reached an advanced stage, leaving families to deal with the heavy emotional and financial burden of long-term treatment such as dialysis. In the Philippines alone, an estimated 13 million people are living with the disease.
By working closely with barangay health centers, Boehringer Ingelheim is helping make kidney care more accessible to communities that may otherwise struggle to get tested early. The program is part of the company’s Sustainable Development for Generations commitment, which aims to improve health equity and health outcomes in underserved populations around the world.
A key feature of the initiative is the use of portable urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio testing, which can detect early signs of kidney damage even before symptoms appear. Barangay Health Workers are being equipped not only to assist with these tests, but also to help identify vulnerable residents, explain the risks, and guide patients with abnormal results toward proper medical care.
Health experts have stressed that early screening is especially important for people with diabetes and hypertension, which remain the leading causes of chronic kidney disease. Other contributing factors such as age, obesity, smoking, family history, poor diet, chronic stress, and physical inactivity also increase the risk, making community-based prevention and awareness efforts even more critical.
Dr. Greta Cortez, Head of Medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim Philippines, said symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, and skin irritation are often ignored or mistaken for less serious conditions, causing many patients to be diagnosed only when the disease is already progressing. She emphasized that screening high-risk individuals early can help prevent or delay the onset of end-stage renal disease.
For local leaders, the program is more than a health intervention — it is a way of protecting families from hardship. Antipolo City Mayor Casimiro “Jun” A. Ynares III said bringing kidney screening directly into barangays gives parents and grandparents a better chance to stay healthy for their loved ones, while Quezon City Councilor Dorothy Delarmente welcomed the stronger push for awareness, free check-ups, and early access to essential services.
With more communities now gaining access to early detection, practical health education, and timely referrals, Boehringer Ingelheim’s initiative is helping change the story of kidney disease from late diagnosis and crisis response to prevention, early action, and better outcomes for Filipino families.