Welcome to the South African Nephrology Society

President’s Letter – South African Nephrology Society (SANS), 2025

Dear Colleagues,

It is with great pride and a deep sense of responsibility that I write to you on behalf of the South African Nephrology Society (SANS). The past year has been one of growth, renewed collaboration, and continued advocacy, despite the pressures on our health system, particularly frozen consultant and training posts and persistent supply chain challenges in the public sector.
Against this backdrop, SANS has remained steadfast in its mission to promote excellence in kidney care, research, education, and policy engagement.
Below is a summary of our key achievements and activities since our last Annual General Meeting:

  • Research Capacity Building: ISN-SANS Webinar Series
    We successfully launched a collaborative webinar series with the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) titled “From Idea to Publication”, aimed at demystifying the research process and equipping early-career nephrologists with the tools to develop and publish impactful research. The series was exceptionally well received and featured practical insights from local and international experts.
    Dr Wesley van Hougenhouck-Tulleken was instrumental in driving this initiative forward, and we are grateful for his leadership and commitment to building research capacity.
  • Upcoming ISPD-SANS Congress (October 2026)
    We are proud to announce that South Africa will host the first-ever ISPD Congress on the African continent, in Cape Town in October 2026, in collaboration with the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD). The current President of ISPD, A/Prof Brett Cullis, is a valued member of SANS, and we are honoured to support this global event under his leadership.
    This represents a major milestone for our region and offers a unique opportunity to showcase innovations in peritoneal dialysis and service delivery to a global audience.
    o Continental Engagement and AFRAN Collaboration
    Our partnership with the African Association of Nephrology (AFRAN) continues to grow. We remain active members of the ISN Regional Board for Africa, contributing to strategic continental initiatives, knowledge exchange, and capacity building. We also continue to support the African Journal of Nephrology, ably edited by Prof Alain Assounga.
  • Policy and Government Engagement
    We have collaborated with the National Department of Health (DoH) on several key initiatives, including:
    • Participation in the Health Systems Improvement Forum on kidney health, dialysis, and organ transplantation
    • Support for the national Organ and Tissue Donation Campaign Launch
    • Active advocacy for the implementation of kidney paired donation (KPD) in South Africa
  • Regulatory Engagement
    SANS has played a central role in two important regulatory processes:
    • Finalisation of the Transplant Regulations in collaboration with MACOT (Ministerial Advisory Committee on Transplantation)
    • Development of national Dialysis Regulations, where SANS has been a key technical and advisory partner to the DoH
  • Guidelines and Essential Medicines Advocacy
    The SANS Guidelines Committee, chaired by A/Professor Malcolm Davies, continues to develop important clinical guidance. We are currently engaged in a national submission to include SGLT2 inhibitors for CKD on the Essential Medicines List (EML). This work has significant potential to expand access to kidney-protective therapies in the public sector.
  • South African Renal Registry
    The South African Renal Registry, under the continued leadership of Prof Razeen Davids, remains a critical national resource. It plays a key role in tracking dialysis trends, highlighting disparities, and identifying gaps in service provision. SANS remains committed to using these insights to inform policy and drive government accountability.
  • Support for Members
    SANS remains committed to supporting members who face professional, regulatory, or legal challenges. We continue to advocate for fair clinical practice environments and equitable treatment of nephrologists across both public and private sectors.
  • Training, Exams, and Fellowships
    Our members remain engaged in specialist training and assessment through the CMSA examinations. We continue to host and support ISN fellows at several academic centres, furthering SANS’ commitment to capacity development across the region.
  • Organisational and Financial Health
    Our society remains financially sound and is now a fully registered NGO. We are grateful to the team at Turners for their ongoing administrative support and will communicate any necessary changes to banking and governance structures in due course.

Looking ahead, we are clear-eyed about the challenges facing kidney care in South Africa: underfunded services, training bottlenecks, and workforce attrition. Nevertheless, SANS remains deeply committed to representing the needs of our members and patients, and to driving strategic, equitable improvements in nephrology.

Thank you to our dedicated Executive Committee, our members, and our partners national and international for your continued support. Together, we will shape a more just and resilient future for kidney care in South Africa.

Warm regards,

A/Prof Nicola Wearne
President, South African Nephrology Society (SANS)

Dr Nina Diana
Secretary, South African Nephrology Society (SANS)