Students and faculty members of the department of medical laboratory technology at the National Skills University Islamabad vowed to create awareness about the rare diseases in Pakistan. This year 2023, Rare Diseases Day 2023 theme is “Share Your Colors” urging patients, governments, world leaders, and other interested parties in positions of power to end the stigma associated with people who have rare diseases.
Unfortunately, people suffering from rare genetic and other ailments in Pakistan are ignored. Moreover, pharmaceutical companies pay little attention to finding treatment for neglected tropical and rare diseases.
It is essential to mention here that people in Pakistan are suffering from a variety of rare diseases, including muscular dystrophy, congenital Ichthyosis, epidermolysis bullosa, albinism, growth hormones deficiencies, microcephaly, epilepsy, intellectual disability, peripheral neuropathy, sensory neuronal hearing loss, retinitis pigmentosum, ectodermal dysplasia, and hypotrichosis.
Besides the lack of medicines for rare diseases, diagnosis of these ailments is also a major issue. People in certain areas ascribe rare diseases as superstitions.
Students presented highly informative posters about rare diseases in Pakistan and committed to creating awareness opportunities so people suffering from the rare disease can be taken care of in a humane way. The Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Chairman, Dr. Muhammad Arif Nadeem Saqib, briefed about curricular activities related to training students in skills relevant to diagnosing rare diseases.
Rare Disease Awareness Day at the National Skills University Islamabad
