Girls and black children face inequalities in transplant treatment, study shows

Academics have found that some children in need of a kidney transplant are facing inequalities in their care.

Black children are less likely to be put on the transplant waiting list, as are those from more deprived backgrounds, researchers from the University of Bristol found.

There are currently 137 children aged 17 and under on the kidney transplant waiting list in the United Kingdom.

“We were particularly struck by how early these disparities appear in the transplant process. It’s not just about who gets a transplant, but who even gets considered in the first place.”— Dr Alice James, lead author

Researchers set out to examine whether inequalities exist in access to kidney transplantation among children in the United Kingdom by analysing the UK Renal Registry and NHS Blood and Transplant data between 1996 and 2020.

Key Points About Black Children from the Article:

• Black children are 19 percent less likely to be put on the kidney transplant waiting list compared to their white peers.

• Once on the waiting list, disadvantages for black children persist, unlike gender and income disparities which reduce after listing.

• Black children face systemic disadvantages even after being placed on the waitlist, including fewer living donor opportunities.

• The odds of receiving a kidney transplant from a living donor within two years of being on the waiting list are lower for children of black ethnicity, as well as for those from poorer backgrounds.

• The study highlights persistent disadvantage for children from black ethnic backgrounds despite the existence of a universal NHS healthcare system, pointing to systemic or cultural barriers beyond access alone.

• There are currently not enough donors from Black African and Black Caribbean backgrounds, which affects matching and transplant success rates for black children.

• Kidney failure disproportionately impacts people from Black African and Black Caribbean heritage, underlining the urgent need for targeted donor recruitment and preventive efforts.

• NHS England has launched a new simple genetic blood test specifically for Black African and Black Caribbean groups to help reduce the risk of kidney failure.

You an read more here - https://uk.news.yahoo.com/girls-black-children-face-inequalities-220100948.html

My Thoughts:

The recent study by academics at the University of Bristol, revealing shocking disparities in kidney transplant access for children in the United Kingdom, exposes a disgraceful and systemic failure that cannot be ignored. It is utterly unacceptable that Black children are 19 percent less likely to be placed on the transplant waiting list compared to their white peers. This is not just a number, it shows, very clearly, that the healthcare system is still failing to treat our children fairly.

What is even more alarming is that these inequalities do not vanish once Black children are on the waiting list. Unlike other disparities related to gender or income, Black children continue to face significant barriers, including fewer opportunities for living donor transplants. This entrenched disadvantage speaks to systemic and cultural obstacles that extend far beyond initial access, demanding urgent and sustained intervention.

We also want to ask: since the study analysed data from 1996 to 2020, has anything changed since then? At ACKEE, we are keen to know if there has been any improvement between 2020 and 2025. Given this reality, we also ask: how have the outcomes and experiences of our community changed, if at all, in the years since this study’s data ended?

Kidney failure disproportionately affects people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage. Despite this heightened risk, there are still far too few deceased donors from our community, further compounding the difficulty of finding suitable matches for Black children and adults alike. We must do better. It is also vital that we focus on the prevention of kidney disease, alongside a major effort to increase donor rates.

With that in mind, we note that NHS England launched a simple genetic blood test earlier this year, aimed specifically at individuals of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage, to help reduce the risk of kidney failure. However, according to the official press release on the NHS website (NHS England, January 2025), as we understand it, this test is only available to people considering becoming living kidney donors. It is not currently a general screening tool for anyone wanting to understand their own risk of developing kidney disease.

While this initiative is welcome and an important step in protecting Black living donors, we would strongly urge NHS England to go further. Our communities need accessible and widely available kidney health screening options, tools that support prevention for everyone, not just those considering donation.

At ACKEE, we welcome any development that helps reduce the risk of kidney failure and we will be looking more closely at this initiative. Prevention remains one of our key priorities. That is why we strongly encourage regular health check-ups, a full annual blood test or “MOT for your body” including kidney function tests. Early detection and intervention are critical to preventing kidney disease from progressing to failure.

As Director of the African Caribbean Kidney Education Enterprise, and someone living with kidney failure and currently waiting for a transplant, I call on all healthcare providers, policymakers, and the wider community to confront these inequalities head on. How terrible it is for these children to face such injustice at such a young age. This is a stain on our society that must be eradicated without delay.

At ACKEE, we will continue to raise awareness on kidney health and promote deceased kidney donation. You cannot take your organs with you when you die, donating your kidneys when you pass away could save a life, especially the life of a child in need.

Our mission is clear: to educate you to care for your kidneys in life, to prevent kidney disease wherever possible, and to encourage kidney donation in death. We will continue to hightlight and fight tirelessly to eliminate these unacceptable disparities and to improve outcomes for Black children, and adults, facing kidney disease and transplantation.

​How can you help?

• Share this blog and the work of the African Caribbean Kidney Education Enterprise™ (ACKEE) to help inform and educate others. Also find us on social media @wearetheackee on all platforms

  
  

Do you have ideas on how we can promote deceased kidney donation within the Black African Caribbean community? We welcome collaboration and partnership suggestions. Reach out to us via our contact page if you believe we can work together.