Skin diseases represent a critical, often underestimated global health challenge, impacting over 25% of the population and causing approximately 120,000 deaths each year. Beyond physical symptoms, they significantly impair quality of life, productivity, and social inclusion, leading to serious mental health challenges. Disparities in healthcare access, especially in low-resource settings, further intensify these impacts, while environmental factors like climate change and pollution exacerbate conditions globally.
Addressing skin diseases as a public health priority within the WHO’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) framework is essential for equitable health outcomes. This integrated approach emphasizes the need for increased research, policy support, and sustainable funding. Through health diplomacy, international cooperation can mobilize civil society, healthcare providers, patient organizations, and governments to elevate skin health on the global agenda.
An influential coalition supports prioritizing skin health, including:
- International Alliance of Dermatology Patient Organizations (GlobalSkin)
- International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS)
- International Foundation for Dermatology (IFD)
- Health Diplomacy Alliance (HDA)
- Neglected Tropical Diseases Non-Governmental Organizations Network Skin Cross-Cutting Group (NNN Skin CCG)
- Anesvad Foundation
- World Alliance for Wound and Lymphedema Care (WAWLC)
- World Council of Enterostomal Therapists
- Pan Africa Association of Wound Care Experts
- Hôpitaux Universitaires Genève (HUG)
This alliance is committed to advancing policies and interventions that bridge healthcare gaps, reduce stigma, and ensure no UHC agenda is complete without addressing skin health for all.
Read more about it: Background report – SkinDiseases
