Together with patient organisations around the world and our members across Europe, EFA is mobilising our atopic eczema and skin allergy communities to call on member states to adopt the draft resolution ‘Skin Disease as a Global Public Health Priority’.
The next World Health Assembly (WHA), the decision-making body of the World health Organisation (WHO) will convene from 19 to 27 of May 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, and will vote, among others, on the draft resolution ‘Skin Disease as a Global Public Health Priority’.
Why is the resolution important?
The draft resolution sets a universal call for better recognition of skin diseases. It covers a wide range of conditions, including atopic eczema and skin allergies and also other diseases such as autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, rare skin conditions and climate/environment-induced disorders.
Crucially, the draft resolution includes concrete proposals on skin diseases, such as the development of a Global Action Plan for public health response to skin diseases, and supporting Member States to invest in capacity-building, digital technology, prevention measures, diagnosis and surveillance of skin diseases, among others.
What does the resolution mean for European patients?
The draft resolution has been championed by the International Alliance of Dermatology Patient Organisations (GlobalSkin) of which EFA is a member, and the World Skin Health Coalition, of which EFA is partner.
If adopted, the resolution can significantly increase the visibility of skin diseases, pave the way to their integration into national and/or regional health programmes, enhance patient access to treatments and therapies, and help reduce existing stigma.
The resolution is aligned with EFA longstanding recommendations and call to action to address the burden of atopic eczema and to support better patients with severe atopic eczema in Europe.
What can patient organisations do to have #SkinDiseasesResolution approved?
Patient organisations representing people with atopic eczema and skin allergies can contact their Ministry of Health before the 15th of May (WHA is from 19-27 May in Geneva), with an urge to vote positively with the draft resolution. The contacts are available on the WHO website.
GlobalSkin has prepared template letters to address Ministry of Health in three languages (English, French and Spanish). These letters can be tailored to a national situation and include patients testimonials.
They can also be published on the patients’ organisations website and social media channels thanks to template graphic materials to raise awareness among patients networks.
At the EU level, EFA sent an open letter to the EU Permanent Delegation to the World Health Assembly to call for their support of the draft resolution.