BOSTON — Carna Health announced an expansion of its global chronic kidney disease screening initiatives on World Kidney Day, scaling its AI-enabled early detection programs across four continents in an effort to identify kidney disease earlier and connect patients with treatment before the condition progresses.
The Boston-based digital health company said the expansion builds on existing programs that combine artificial intelligence risk scoring, point-of-care diagnostics and structured follow-up care to improve detection of chronic kidney disease and related cardio-kidney metabolic conditions.
“Since launching our first programs, we’ve seen how structured, technology-enabled screening can uncover CKD early and connect patients to care. As we expand into new regions and prepare for national programs in Latin America, Asia, and the U.S., our goal remains the same: identify CKD sooner, prevent end-stage kidney disease, and make high-quality kidney care accessible worldwide,” said Salvatore Viscomi, MD, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Carna Health.
The company’s earliest flagship program began in Bermuda in 2023 as a pilot effort that revealed high levels of undiagnosed chronic kidney disease. Among individuals screened, 49 percent were found to have CKD and 94 percent had previously been unaware of their condition. About 20 percent required referral to a nephrologist and pharmaceutical treatment.
Following the pilot, Bermuda’s Ministry of Health established a CKD Integrated Care Pathway in 2023, formalizing structured screening and care programs nationwide. Carna Health has since expanded its work to Antigua and Barbuda, focusing on community outreach and integration with national health initiatives.
In Africa, Carna Health’s pilot program in Cameroon has expanded into a national initiative that has screened 35,000 people. The program found that 19 percent of participants had Stage 3 to Stage 5 chronic kidney disease, with more than half requiring follow-up care. A large portion of participants were between the ages of 20 and 30, highlighting growing disease risks among younger populations. Common risk factors included hypertension, diabetes, heat stress, nephrotoxic supplements and HIV.
“In Cameroon, a large proportion of the population is at elevated risk of CKD, particularly due to the high prevalence of hypertension and diabetes. Partnering with Carna Health enables earlier detection of kidney function damage and timely clinical management, helping to slow disease progression and reduce the burden of advanced kidney disease,” said Dr. Malachie Manaouda, Minister of Public Health in Cameroon.
The company is now expanding its efforts with a second phase in Cameroon that aims to screen an additional 75,000 people, while a 10,000-person pilot program is being launched in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Carna Health is also entering Southeast Asia with programs in the Philippines that are expected to screen more than 300,000 people across both public and private health systems, including in Manila, Quezon and the province of Cagayan. The company said the initiative integrates AI-based risk scoring with laboratory systems and point-of-care testing to identify CKD earlier in populations where structured screening programs have historically been limited.
The company plans to expand the model to Indonesia later this year with an initial target of screening 10,000 individuals.
Across the Americas, Carna Health is expanding prevention and early detection programs in both urban and rural communities in 2026. In Latin America, the company aims to enroll more than 500,000 people in screening initiatives over the next 18 to 24 months.
In the United States, the company said it is developing partnerships with health systems, academic institutions and public health organizations to deploy AI-enabled screening and monitoring programs at the population level.
“Earlier, structured detection of CKD is one of the most effective ways to improve outcomes and close equity gaps,” said Professor Liz Lightstone, Professor of Renal Medicine at Imperial College London. “Carna Health’s approach demonstrates what’s possible when AI-enabled screening is integrated into community-based care. I look forward to seeing these programs expand globally and improving outcomes worldwide.”
