Dr Rosnawati Yahya
President
Malaysian Society of Nephrology
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Members, Colleagues and Friends,
It is a great privilege and responsibility to serve as President of the Malaysian Society of Nephrology (MSN) for the 2026–2028 term.
As I begin this term, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to our Past Presidents, especially Prof Dr Lim Soo Kun and all previous Council members whose leadership, commitment and dedication have shaped the Malaysian Society of Nephrology into the Society it is today. Each Council has built upon the work of those before it, strengthening nephrology practice, education, research and advocacy in Malaysia. Their contributions have laid a strong foundation and paved the way for us to take the Society forward.
Over the years, MSN has grown alongside the development of nephrology in Malaysia. Today, our responsibilities extend beyond the care of patients with established kidney disease. We must also address the growing burden of chronic kidney disease, strengthen prevention and early detection, improve the quality of kidney replacement therapy, expand access to transplantation, and embrace advances in precision and personalised kidney care.
My vision for MSN is simple: to improve kidney health in Malaysia through collaboration, education, innovation and advocacy.
A major priority will be to move kidney care upstream. Too many patients are still diagnosed late. We need to work more closely with primary care and other disciplines to identify kidney disease earlier, assess risk appropriately and intervene before irreversible kidney damage occurs. Kidney health cannot be addressed in isolation, and stronger collaboration across the cardio–kidney–metabolic spectrum will be increasingly important.
At the same time, we must continue to improve care for those living with advanced kidney disease. This includes strengthening the quality and safety of dialysis, promoting home-based therapies where appropriate, and advancing kidney transplantation. We will continue to work with our partners and relevant authorities towards a more coordinated, equitable and sustainable national transplant system.
The future of nephrology is also changing rapidly. Genetic kidney disease, rare kidney disease and precision medicine are becoming increasingly relevant to everyday clinical practice. MSN has an important role in building local expertise, developing appropriate diagnostic and referral pathways, supporting multidisciplinary care, and ensuring that advances in diagnosis and treatment translate into meaningful benefits for Malaysian patients and their families.
Education remains at the heart of our Society. We will continue to support our nephrologists, trainees, nurses and allied healthcare professionals while extending kidney education beyond the nephrology community. We must also invest in our younger colleagues—providing opportunities for mentorship, research, leadership and international collaboration so that the next generation is ready to take Malaysian nephrology forward.
Equally important is the voice of our patients and the public. We need to make kidney health easier to understand and encourage people to recognise their risks, get tested when appropriate, and take an active role in protecting their kidneys. Prevention and early detection must become part of the national conversation on kidney health.
None of these ambitions can be achieved by MSN alone. Our strength lies in partnership—with our members, the Ministry of Health, universities, healthcare institutions, the National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia, other professional societies, patient organisations, industry partners and the wider community.
I would especially like MSN to remain a Society that listens to its members. I welcome your ideas, participation and constructive feedback. Whether you work in a major tertiary centre, a university, the Ministry of Health or private practice, every member has a role in shaping the future of nephrology in Malaysia.
I am grateful to all those who have served MSN over the years and to our members who continue to give their time, expertise and energy to the Society. The progress we make in this term will stand on the foundation they have built.
As we begin this new chapter, I hope we can be ambitious while remaining practical and focused on what ultimately matters: better kidney health and better lives for our patients.
I look forward to working with all of you over the coming two years.
Dr Rosnawati Yahya
President
Malaysian Society of Nephrology
2026–2028