Co-Chairman and Director Dialysis Services
Department of Nephrology
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi.

The “Society of Renal Nutrition & Metabolism (SRNM)” is a stepping stone for bringing together nephrology community to spread awareness on importance of role and implications of renal nutrition in patient management. The society has organized two major events till date, the first activity was “Workshop of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism” on 23rd November 2014, the day the society was officially recognized. The second event that was organized was a two days “Advanced Course in Renal Nutrition and Metabolism” for physicians and dieticians which is an annual event. Unexpectedly good attendance and participation in these two events showed the enthusiasm that was created by the society amongst doctors and dieticians, clearly showing a gap that got filled, a lacuna, that was there in nephrology meetings, but had never been realized.

Management of kidney disease is incomplete without proper nutritional intervention. I am glad that we now have a body which can address issues related to gaps in our holistic approach to disease, educate non-nephrologist physicians and dieticians and also learn hard core nutritional facts from experts. We have to accept that nutrition and medical intervention are inseparable, together they make complete understanding and management of renal disease.

Another activity that the society has initiated is organizing lectures on renal nutrition and important aspects of chronic kidney disease (CKD) through Indian Medical Association in order to “prevent malnutrition in CKD”. Dr Anita Saxena has undertaken this task. Our aim is to reach 2000 physicians in next 15 months and update them on latest trend in renal nutrition. We hope that the physicians who attend these lectures will realize importance of right nutritional approach and will spread the word to their colleagues about enrichment of their knowledge and practice from these activities. I hope that in years to come, the nutritional practice will become more scientific.

I congratulate Dr Anita Saxena for organizing the SRNMCON’15, the first international conference of the society. I sincerely hope that all the delegates participating in the conference will benefit from the deliberations and translate the information into practice.

I wish this conference all the success and hope the tradition set in here today will continue to grow with time.

Dr. A.K.Bhalla