The World Kidney Day is being observed across the globe on Thursday with a special focus on raising awareness about early and comprehensive screening for kidney disease.The theme of the day this year is ‘Kidney disease and children: Act early to prevent it’.The day is being jointly observed by the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF).According to the release, with 10 percent of the worldwide population having some form of kidney damage, there is a long road ahead to raise awareness about the dangers of kidney disease.The latest numbers show that Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is predicted to increase by 17% over the next decade and is now recognized by WHO and other organizations as a global public health issue.At the start, 66 countries observed the day in 2006. Within two years, the number rose to 88.